A stranger's opinion
by VictoriaBard
Summary: This is where Sydney and Gage went after the helicopter ride home in "Casa Diablo 2", and what happened after that. Sydney is kidnapped and her past is revealed.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in "Walker Texas Ranger, I'm just borrowing them for the story.  
  
A stranger's opinion  
  
Gage had only closed his eyes for a few seconds and yet he had fallen asleep and been so for the past half an hour. Sydney had left him in the waiting room an hour ago and left to be examined. Now he was sitting alone waiting for her to come back.  
  
What was taking her so long? She hadn't even wanted to go to the hospital at first, but he convinced her. What if something was wrong, maybe that blow to her back had cost her more pain than she had been willing to admit.  
  
After the helicopter-ride home Walker had taken Alex home, Trivette had gone to the office to write a rapport on their little adventure and Gage had insisted that the pilot would drop himself and Sydney off at the roof of the hospital. They had made quite an entrance. And now he was sitting here, worried sick about her. He had just never realized how much he loved her until he almost lost her.  
  
He sighed and took a deep breath to clear his mind. Hearing the door open he looked up as an old lady with grey hair entered. She was walking with a cane and carrying a bag in the other hand. She limped over and sat down next to Gage on the couch. She let out a long breath that told how relieved she was to be sitting down.  
  
"Hello, young man. What's your name?" she asked with curiosity in her steady voice.  
  
"Hi. I'm Ranger Gage, Ma´am." He answered, relieved to have someone to talk to that would take his mind off Sydney.  
  
"Oh, you are a Texas Ranger?"  
  
"Yes ma´am."  
  
"Well, you don't seem to be in such a bad condition that you would need a doctor, young man. Why are you here?"  
  
"No, there is nothing wrong with me. I'm just waiting for a....a friend. Yeah that's it, just a friend." He sighed again and leaned back in his seat.  
  
"I see. Your friend is a woman."  
  
Gage just stared at the old lady seated next to him.  
  
"That's right, how did you know that?"  
  
She smiled sweetly at him, put a hand on his shoulder and leaned closer to him as she whispered.  
  
"I know lots of things. For instance, I know your own fear is holding you back. She won't wait for ever, Francis." Gage's eyes grew wide.  
  
"I never told you my first name. Who are you?"  
  
The door swung open once again and Sydney appeared. The old lady got up and limped over to her and kissed her gently on the cheek. Sydney looked so surprised that the old woman couldn't help but smile.  
  
"Good luck, dear." She said and disappeared out the door before either one of the rangers had time to ask any questions. Gage rose from his seat on the couch and walked over to Sydney.  
  
God, does she even know how special she is?´ he thought to himself but didn't say it out loud.  
  
"How are you feeling? You took so long in there." He said.  
  
"I'm fine, they just had some more critical patients to attend to before me. So, you were worried about me?"  
  
Gage put an arm around her shoulders and smiled wickedly.  
  
"Naah, I just didn't want to handle all that paperwork we'll have to do tomorrow by myself."  
  
Sydney punched him playfully in the stomach and walked out the door with Gage right behind her. He had a lot of thinking to do as soon as he got home.  
  
To be continued 


	2. I care about you

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and never will, so don't sue me.  
  
Sydney opened the door to her home. Gage was right behind her. He had insisted on walking her to her door just in case. She had assured him that she was fine, but the guy just wouldn't take no for an answer. He had been acting very strange all day.  
  
Maybe he took a blow to the head or something´ She thought to herself.  
  
"You want me to fix you something to eat?" he asked. Sydney spun around and faced him. He looked concerned. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. The doctor had said she was fine, he knew that. And she had been telling him that even before they arrived at the hospital.  
  
"Thanks Gage, but I think I'd better take care of that myself" she said with a smile. Gage frowned.  
  
"And just what is that suppose to mean? I can cook you know."  
  
"Oh, yeah I remember. That is if you can survive on French toast." She smiled again and entered the kitchen. He joined her and sat down at the table.  
  
"Cinnamon-toast."  
  
"What?" Sydney asked and opened the refrigerator. She was looking for something easy to fix since cooking wasn't something she felt very eager to get to right now.  
  
"Cinnamon-toast." He repeated patiently. "I can make Cinnamon-toast too."  
  
"Oh, right I forgot. But maybe I should give you the night off from cooking and fix us both something to eat."  
  
Gage shrugged. "Sure, what ever you want"  
  
Ok, now I know something is wrong with him.´  
  
After dinner they both helped clean up the kitchen. Their fingers touched as they reached for the same glass. Gage took it and handed it to Sydney. "Thank you." "It's just a glass, Syd." "I don't mean just the glass." She lowered her eyes as if embarrassed to face him. Or maybe it was just that she wasn't use to spending time with him like this. It was different than at work. "I know. But it was nothing really, Walker and Trivette helped too." "You came a long way to find me." They both stopped with what they were doing and looked deeply into each others eyes.  
  
"You would have done the same for me." He said and put a hand on her shoulder. A shiver ran through her body and she jumped a bit. What is going on with me? This is Gage, and I'm acting like a nervous teenager in love for the first time.´  
  
Gage, get a grip.´ the ranger told himself. Sydney isn't interested in you, except as a friend and that is just something you're going to have to accept´ He sighed a little louder than intended. I just didn't realize how I felt about her until I almost lost her. I know some people would tell me to seize the moment and tell her, but that would only complicate things.´ He removed his hand and scratched his left ear.  
  
"Look, Syd. I should probably go home and let you get some sleep. In fact I could use some myself." She looked at him surprised at the sudden decision to leave.  
  
"Okay, I'll see you in the morning then." "Right, see you then." Gage was halfway out the door when he suddenly turned." Now wait a minute. You're not working tomorrow are you? "he didn't give her a chance to answer. "You should take tomorrow off and rest. You have been through a horrible experience." "Horrible experience? Gage, this is my job, my life, what I choose to do. Besides, I'll go out of my mind staying here with nothing to do. I need to work." She finished with determination in her voice.  
  
"Fine, then I'll stay here with you to keep you company." He spoke the words before thinking what they really meant. Did I just say that? What am I crazy? She doesn't want that ´ Sydney's face lit up. He really wants to do that?´ "Okay, but only if you bring take-out food so I don't have to cook...or eat French toast" Gage's eyes widened. Wow, that was easy. I thought it would be harder to convince her to stay home. ´ "It's a deal."  
  
That Smile of hers really lights up a room. ´ Gage thought as he exited the building and headed for his car a few minutes later. 


	3. You're always on my mind

Gage turned off the TV. He had gone home to get some sleep, but after staring at the ceiling without any sleep for an hour he had given up and sat down on the couch in the living-room to watch some TV instead. He couldn't get Sydney out of his mind. What was she doing now, thinking about this second?  
  
When they met he had not felt this way about her at all. It came later, when they started working together more seriously. She had done great the first time and she was his first thought when Walker said he would need a partner. But he had only thought of her as another ranger then, someone he would work with, not fall in love with.  
  
Gage knew that if he continued feeling this way about her he would no longer be capable of taking care of himself because he would always be worried about her. And there was no use ruining a good working relationship with a woman who didn't feel the same way about him as he did about her. He leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes, not expecting to go to sleep.  
  
"Francis! Francis!"  
  
Gage sat up, gazing around the dark room. He could have sworn he heard a voice calling out his name.  
  
"Francis!"  
  
There it was again.  
  
"Who's there? Is anybody there?" he asked. This was a little too spooky even for him. Bank-robbers, murderers and gangsters he could handle, but voices calling out in the dark was something else.  
  
He got up, walked over to a drawer and took out a gun. Then he got to the window and looked out. There was nobody there.  
  
"Help her Francis, she can't hold on forever." It was more a whisper this time. He spun around, but couldn't see anyone.  
  
Gage awoke with a jerk. It had been a dream. And a very strange one too. He didn't usually have dreams at night. He felt how the dream faded away in his mind. He brought a hand to his forehead and wiped the sweat away with the back of it.  
  
"What was it about?" he asked himself out loud, not expecting an answer. "Oh, right. The old lady at the hospital" He had almost forgotten about her and her strange behaviour. What had she meant in the dream? "No, I have to stop this. I don't believe in signs or the paranormal. And whatever it might have meant, it has absolutely nothing to do with Sydney."  
  
He closed his tired eyes determined to get some sleep before dawn. He tried to relax but couldn't. His eyes shot open once again and he reached for his cell-phone on the table.  
  
"But....it can't hurt to check on her." He quickly dialled the number "She's going to think I'm crazy calling her at this hour because of a silly dream." He waited until at least twenty signals had passed but there was no answer. That's strange. Where could she have gone at three o'clock in the morning?´  
  
Gage had a feeling something was wrong. He tried her cell-phone as well but it had been turned off.  
  
"Sydney never turns off her cell-phone." He sprung to his feet and ran into the bedroom to get the keys to his car and hurried out the door.  
  
To be continued 


	4. A meeting, a guilt and a beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and never will. Don't sue me, I'm just borrowing them.  
  
Gage entered Sydney's apartment. He didn't need to knock since the door had been left wide-open with the lock shot open by a bullet. There was no sign of Sydney, but furniture had been knocked over and a window had been broken, glass shattered all across the living-room floor.  
  
But he wasn't alone. There were four police men in the room, obviously investigating what had happened. Gage walked over to the one who seemed to be in charge. As he approached the man he put a hand on the ranger's shoulder to prevent him from entering the apartment any further.  
  
"You're not supposed to be in here. This is a crime-scene, I'm afraid you'll have to leave." "My name is Gage, I'm a Texas Ranger. Who are you and what are you doing here?" Gage showed the man his badge which he carefully inspected.  
  
"Well then, Ranger Gage. My name is inspector Jeffrey Steel and I'm here because one of the neighbours in the building called the police complaining about some loud noise coming from inside this apartment."  
  
Inspector Steel was an older man, positively in his fifties. Black hair and a moustache in the same colour. He was wearing a grey suit and a tie in a slightly darker grey than the suit. He was also about the same height as Gage.  
  
"So you're investigating my partners kidnapping?" The inspector raised his eyebrows and smiled, giving away a perfect row of white teeth. "Who said anything about a kidnapping? We haven't yet established the cause of her disappearance. So, do me a favour and don't tell me my job, ranger."  
  
"I think it's pretty obvious that it was a kidnapping. I don't think Sydney put a bullet in her own door and knocked the coffee table over just for fun, do you?"  
  
The inspector's smile faded and he answered the question with a question. "Sydney is it? You two didn't happen to have a relationship beyond professional?" Gage didn't answer. He was getting more and more frustrated. Sydney could be fighting for her life somewhere and here he was, standing around talking to someone who apparently didn't know what he was doing.  
  
What's wrong with me? I don't normally get this upset. But this is Sydney, my partner. I have every reason to be worried.´  
  
He took a deep breath to calm himself.  
  
"Because if you did then you shouldn't be here."  
  
"No, we have nothing but a great working relationship." He locked eyes with inspector Steel. "That's it. And would you please stop talking about her as if she was dead. Now unless you have some other questions, I'll go call a few people I know who would like to get involved in this case." He left the apartment without giving the man an opportunity to object to that. Outside, he leaned against the wall of the house and once again took deep breaths. If only I had stayed with her.´ He shook his head, trying to escape the thoughts that kept entering his mind. No, I can't think like that. It won't help Sydney, I have got to focus.´  
  
He took out his cell-phone and dialled Walker's number.  
  
To be continued 


	5. Help is on the way

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters and never. I'm just borrowing them so don't sue me.  
  
Walker put the phone down and turned to wake up Alex. That woman could really sleep through anything and she had peacefully slept through this phone-call as well.  
  
"Alex! Alex! Wake up." He gently touched her shoulder in an attempt to wake her up.  
  
"What's wrong?" Alex took a quick look at the alarm-clock. "Walker, it's four o'clock in the morning."  
  
He hurried to get dressed while he explained the situation. "That was Gage. Something has happened to Sydney."  
  
"What do you mean? What's happened?"she asked worriedly.  
  
"She's missing and he thinks she's been kidnapped. He sounded very upset and I didn't get everything he said but I think he said something about a dream and she not answering the phone. I have to get over there now."  
  
"Where? Where is he?"  
  
"At Sydney's place I think. Are you coming with me? You can stay if you want to, it's been a very long day for you and you need some rest."  
  
"That's okay, I won't be able to sleep knowing that Sydney is missing any way. I'm going with you."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Outside Sydney's apartment  
  
Walker and Alex ran up to Gage who was standing, hands in his pockets trying to appear more calm than he really was.  
  
"Gage!"  
  
Alex surprised him by giving him a loving hug which he returned.  
  
"Thanks for coming both of you." Walker put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Of course we're here, Sydney is important to all of us. Did you call Trivette?"  
  
"Yeah, he's on his way here as we speak."  
  
Gage saw a tear running down Alex's cheek.  
  
"It's so unfair. We just returned from Casa Diablo and now this. Gage, you're the one who probably knows Sydney best. Do you think she could have gone somewhere....?" She asked with concern shining in her eyes.  
  
"No, I don't think so. She would have told us.....and besides, you should see her apartment up there." he pointed at the broken window. "It's a mess."  
  
Walker gazed up at the window and then back at his fiancé and friend. It was obvious to him that Gage cared for Sydney very much, and that this was hard for him. Walker himself had been very upset and in a lot of rage when Alex and Sydney were abducted, but not so much that he hadn't noticed Gage's concern for Sydney.  
  
"Why don't you two go to the office and call Sydney's family to notify them about the situation while I take a look up stairs."  
  
Gage nodded and started to lead Alex towards his car that was parked around the corner.  
  
To be continued 


	6. Waking up

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing the characters, I don't own them. I get no profit from this.  
  
Sydney felt her head throbbing, the most terrible headache she had ever felt. She brought a hand to her forehead and felt something sticky. Looked down at her hand and saw blood, not much but some, and it came from her forehead.  
  
She tried to sit up but found that she was too weak, and the fact that her wrists and ankles were tied up didn't make it any easier. So she couldn't sit up, but she could at least look around.  
  
Where am I?´  
  
She was lay on the cold cement floor in an empty room except a table, two chairs and a bed with no sheets, no pillow nor blankets. In the ceiling there was a lamp which shone a bright annoying light in her eyes if she gazed up. At the right end of the room there were two windows, one big and one smaller but big enough for a cat to get through if it wanted to. The big one was nailed shut.  
  
Anger filled her body and she struggled to free herself. She had to find a way out of where ever she was.  
  
Suddenly the door flew open and she was no longer alone.  
  
"Hi! I see you are awake, that's good." The man approached her and kneeled beside her on the floor. He was tall with long black hair and dark eyes and he wore a leather-jacket and boots. He reached out his hand to touch her injured head. In his palm she noticed a tattoo of an eye. She jerked her head away.  
  
"It seems the drugs are wearing off." He said and grabbed her chin while he wiped the blood off her forehead.  
  
"Where is he? Where is Johnny?" she made another attempt at sitting and this time succeeded.  
  
Of course he didn't look surprised at her question. He knew everything, she was positive of that.  
  
Sydney put on her confidant look as well as she could. She knew this man wasn't responsible for her kidnapping. He had only executed the plan, not set it up. And he probably wasn't alone either, there had to be at least two more men outside that door because Johnny never left an important operation like this to only one man. He wanted it to be foolproof, no mistakes like letting her escape.  
  
"You know who I mean. I suppose he'll make an appearance soon enough. He did say we'd see each other again and I don't think he'd miss an opportunity like this. Especially not one he arranged himself."  
  
The man loosened the ropes around her ankles and helped her get to a chair where he sat her down, loosened the ones on her wrists too and took out a pair of hand-cuffs. He made sure she wasn't going anywhere before he left her alone with her thoughts.  
  
The next day Ranger headquarters: Gage was sitting in his chair, burying his face in his hands. Walker, Trivette and Alex had all been at the station with him all night, and they had not found out much about Sydney's disappearance. The gun used to shoot the door open had been a colt 38, Sydney's car had been left where she always parked it and they had found a lamp with a buckle on it, obviously used to knock her out because the blood on it matched Sydney's blood-type. That was all they had.  
  
Alex had been on the phone most of the night trying to get a hold of Sydney's family. When they started looking through the information they had on Sydney as a ranger it had occurred to him that he didn't know anything about her family or childhood. Only as a Texas Ranger, that was all they had ever had conversations about, the only thing she seemed to want to call her past.  
  
They had left messages at her parents' answering-machine. They lived in Texas on a farm only an hour away so they had told them to come to ranger headquarters to talk to the rangers concerning their daughter.  
  
Trivette entered the room, carrying some take-out food for the four of them. He handed a hamburger to Gage who accepted it. They ate in silence, too much caught up in their own thoughts or too tired to talk.  
  
"We'll get her back, Gage." He heard Walker say after a while in a low voice. He looked up and attempted a smile.  
  
"Yeah, I know we will." He said, but he didn't really sound very convinced of that. "It just concerns me that we don't have any leads at all. I mean, we've handled more hopeless cases than this before, but this one just seems so......well, strange. Who would kidnap Sydney? We have checked everyone she has ever arrested and they are either behind bars or out of the country. We need a miracle to find out who did it." He sighed.  
  
"Perhaps I can help you with that."  
  
They all turned towards the door, where a woman stood. She looked a lot like someone they all knew.  
  
To be continued 


	7. Sylvia Cooke

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, they belong to who ever owns Walker Texas Ranger. I'm just borrowing them.  
  
They all stared at the stranger standing in the door. She reminded them of someone they knew well. Walker was the one who recovered first and spoke.  
  
"Can we help you, miss.....?"  
  
"Cooke. Sylvia Cooke." She saw the looks on their faces and added "Yes, I'm Sydney's sister, her younger sister. I passed by my parents' house a little while ago and got your message. They are out of the country at the moment."  
  
"What were you doing there then?" asked Trivette.  
  
"Watering their plants. Look...I'm afraid to ask, but Sydney is missing isn't she?"  
  
Alex walked over to the young woman and offered her a seat at Walker's desk. She sat down with a terrified expression on her face.  
  
Gage studied the woman. She looked so much like Sydney. She was maybe five years younger but they had the same hair-colour. They had the same colour in their eyes too and they moved the same way.  
  
Sylvia looked around at all the new faces surrounding her.  
  
"Oh god, no. I was hoping I was wrong, but I take it that's not the case."  
  
"How did you know she was missing, Miss Cooke?" asked Gage.  
  
Then something unexpected happened. Sylvia Cooke opened her purse and took out a photo of a man. He was good-looking and maybe twenty-five years old on the picture. He had long blond hair and blue eyes and reminded of a movie-star, the kind that starred in romantic movies about a couple in love. The kind of movie that made people cry at the end.  
  
"This is Johnny Lawrence. The man responsible for all this." Sylvia had tears streaming down her face that told she knew what she was talking about.  
  
Walker picked up the photo and took a closer look at it. "Miss Cooke..."  
  
"Call me Sylvia, please. I feel I already know all of you. Syd has told me so much about you." She turned to Gage. "Especially you ranger Gage."  
  
Gage wasn't sure what to say so he just smiled in return.  
  
"Sylvia, are you trying to tell us that this man" he pointed at the photo "kidnapped Sydney?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"And why do you think that?"  
  
"I don't think, I know so. My sister has told me a lot about you, but I'm pretty sure she hasn't told you very much about her past."  
  
Gage knew that was true.  
  
Sylvia looked nervously at the rangers and the attorney. She wasn't sure if she could trust them or not. Sydney trusted them with her life, she knew that. But she was not her sister, never had been and never would be.  
  
"This is not easy for me to tell you, I promised Sydney I wouldn't but I don't think I have a choice anymore."  
  
Alex handed her a tissue. She grabbed a chair and sat down next to the younger woman and put an arm around her shaking shoulders  
  
"You can trust us, Sylvia. If what you know can help us find Sydney, then you have got to trust us so we can help you get her back."  
  
"Alright. I will."  
  
The Rangers made themselves a little more comfortable and Sylvia Cooke began her story.  
  
To be continued 


	8. The past

Disclaimer: The characters belong to who ever owns Walker Texas Ranger, except Sylvia Cooke, Sydney's daughter and family, Johnny Lawrence and his family which I've created.  
  
Sylvia felt like she was about to reveal her own history to these people, maybe that was because she had never told anyone about this because of Sydney. In fact, she had never even discussed it with anyone except her family.  
  
Gage waited for her to begin telling them about Sydney. He waited with anticipation as well as fear. He wanted to know more about her of course, but at the same time he was afraid of what he would discover.  
  
"Sydney and I were raised by our parents in the same house they still live in. I guess people considered me the normal kid. You know, the one who played with dolls together with the other girls. Syd....was different from the rest of us, special. She loved to read crime- novels and always got into trouble while out looking for mysteries to solve. When she was seventeen and I was fourteen, she met Johnny. He was eighteen then, still lived at home though. His family was very rich and successful. His dream was going into the family business.  
  
It didn't take her long to fall in love with him, and he told her he loved her too. I was the only one who knew about them. She never told our parents because she was afraid they'd forbid her to see him. A few months later Sydney found out she was pregnant.  
  
She was young and too afraid to have an abortion. Said she would feel guilty for the rest of her life knowing she killed the baby inside her. Johnny convinced her that the best thing would be for her to have the baby without telling mom or dad. She didn't agree with him at first, but he convinced her. He can be very convincing when he wants to be.  
  
Sydney told me they were planning on running away from home together. She would have the baby, give it up for adoption and then come home again when it was all over and she would then have turned eighteen. Then they were going to pretend they just met and start all over again and no one would know she had been pregnant. Sydney was really embarrassed about it for some reason, perhaps because she was so young.  
  
They ran away to Houston where they stayed with a doctor Johnny knew, he was a friend of the family. He delivered the baby in his home when it was time. But when Sydney saw her daughter for the first time, she no longer wanted to send her away. She wanted them to raise their daughter themselves. But Johnny didn't see it that way. Once the baby had been born he turned into a completely different person. Claimed he wasn't ready to be a father yet and that he was going to get rid of the baby no matter what Sydney said. He took the baby away from her and gave it to the doctor. When Sydney tried to resist he beat her. Later she was told the doctor had abandoned the baby on the street.  
  
They kept Sydney in her room until all the bruises covering her body had disappeared and no one could tell she had given birth to a baby. She told me that during that time she desperately tried getting them to tell her where he had left her daughter but they refused and Johnny threatened to beat her more if she ever asked that again. And promised he would kill her if she ever tried to find the baby.  
  
He said his family could not handle the idea of him having a child with someone like her. When she got back she collapsed on the door-step and as soon as she had been calmed she told me and mom and dad everything.  
  
Dad went back to search for the baby, but with no success. Then they tried another approach. Mom and dad went to see Johnny and his family. I stayed home with Sydney who refused to see him again. Johnny's family obviously had no idea what had happened and Johnny denied it. According to him it was all lies and he had never seen Sydney before in his life.  
  
Sydney also reported it to the police. But all they did was interrogate Johnny who denied it again. The police also went to the doctor's home, only to find it empty. It was like he was never even there. Then we understood that Johnny had planned to get rid of the baby ever since he learned of my sister's pregnancy. But what we did not understand was why he didn't just kill it in the first place.  
  
Three months later we got the answer to that question. By then Sydney had searched every inch of the city for her child, put up notes, done everything she possibly could, including going to a police-station in Houston near the doctor's home. That was when she found out that the doctor had gone to the police, and left the child there. He claimed the child's parents had been killed in a car-accident he had witnessed. Then he had just run out the door leaving no more information.  
  
But the police had no information about any car-accidents near by, and had no way of knowing who the parents were. The child ended up in an orphanage.  
  
Sydney visited the orphanage and an old woman who had worked there a long time remembered the child, but it was too late. Somebody had already adopted her, a young couple. She checked their names and it was Mr and Mrs Johnny Lawrence.  
  
Sydney went back home and decided to pay a visit to Johnny. They wouldn't let her in so she stayed by the gate until he showed himself and had to talk to her, she wouldn't go away until he did. She told me he actually didn't seem to have that big of a problem telling her the truth, since she could never prove it anyway.  
  
He had never been in love with her. In fact he had already been married when they met. To a woman he loved and who had just lost her new born baby. He told her that his wife had actually killed it herself because she was mentally disturbed, but not anymore. She had received help and was now a much happier person who wanted a child but of course no one would allow her to adopt a baby and she could not have any more of her own. He said he and his wife loved their new daughter very much and that Sydney had better just walk away and move on with her life.  
  
He said there was no way she would ever see her child again and if she made contact with her in the future it would affect everyone she loved.  
  
Sydney hasn't seen her daughter ever since, she felt she just couldn't risk it. But she did suspect something criminal was going on inside that company the Lawrence family has. Drugs were her main suspicion.  
  
She became a Texas Ranger in hope she could work with some cases involving them. I don't know if she did it to stop the drugs or for revenge against Johnny but I do know she is still hoping to get her bay back. She has to be around eight years old now, and I'm sure she is a beautiful little girl just like her mother.  
  
Anyway, Sydney called me a few weeks ago and told me she had found something big she could use against them. She also told me she had seen the girl at the playground with her father. It wasn't the first time though. She goes there every week at the same time to watch her play from a safe distance. But what she told me she had seen him do to that little girl this time is just horrible. He hit her with the back of his hand just because she wouldn't get off the swing. And she filmed it with the video camera she had brought to film her daughter play. It was the only way she ever got to see her.  
  
She was so angry that without thinking she opened the door and stepped out of the car, that's when he recognized her. And that is why my parents are out of the country at the moment, for their own safety. I've been staying with some friends but when I didn't hear from Sydney I got worried and went here. I was on my way over to her when I stopped by my parents' house and got your message.  
  
I had a feeling he would try something like this, especially when Sydney found a witness that could testify her daughter was being abused at home. It was an old maid that had worked at the house a year ago. She has been put in some sort of witness protection program."  
  
Sylvia finished telling them and they all just sat there. This was even bigger than any of them had thought. Now there was an abused child which happened to be Sydney's, a possible drug operation, a doctor who they guessed wasn't really a doctor and a kidnapping involved. 


	9. Thank you

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing them for the story.  
  
"Wow, there is a lot we didn't know about Sydney. I never would have guessed what she has been through." Alex said in a low voice indicating she was just as upset about what she'd just heard as everyone else.  
  
"Me neither." Trivette said in almost a whisper.  
  
Gage had been listening to the story, feeling the anger grow stronger inside him. That man had hurt his Sydney. And he might be hurting her right now and that was enough for him to forget all the questions he wanted answered and get to work.  
  
"Ok, so now we have something to work with here." he said and gave Sylvia a confident smile. "We will find her. We won't stop until we do, right guys?" he looked at the others and was relieved when seeing the determination in Walker's eyes.  
  
"Of course we'll find her, Gage. Now, our first stop is at the Lawrence's place." He turned to Alex "Can you find out everything there is to know about Johnny Lawrence?"  
  
"Sure, I'll get right on it."  
  
Sylvia grabbed a piece of paper on the desk and a pen, then wrote down the address and handed it to Walker.  
  
When she saw his surprised look she smiled a little.  
  
"You don't know how many times I've almost gone there to talk to them about letting Sydney at least see her daughter. But she made me promise never to take a risk like that for her."  
  
"You should go back to where you're staying, Sylvia. You have helped us so much and I doubt there is anything more you can do. But if you think of anything else that could be helpful just call us. Now, go home and get some rest."  
  
Sylvia nodded in agreement. She put on her coat and picked up her bag, but before she walked out the same way she had come she turned and said:  
  
"Thank you.....all of you. I can see why my sister trusts you."  
  
The rangers waited until she was gone to get up and get going. Gage waited for Alex to give him the search-warrant. It took a few minutes but she showed up with it just in time, he wasn't sure he could have waited much longer. She handed it to him.  
  
"Gage, if you meet this man, then don't let him get to you. Don't hurt him, it won't help her."  
  
"Why do you think I would?"  
  
"Well, I know you care about her.....a lot." She left the room leaving him to consider what she had just said. Did Alex know more than he thought she did about his feelings for Sydney? Maybe she did or maybe she didn't but that didn't really matter now anyway. What mattered was to find her.  
  
I can't believe I didn't know anything about this. She lost her daughter, maybe for ever if we don't do something about it."  
  
He ran downstairs to where Walker and Trivette were waiting for him. They all jumped in the truck and headed for the Lawrence's house.  
  
To be continued 


	10. Anger

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing them.  
  
A hidden cabin:  
  
Sydney had been alone for a long time now and during that time she found herself thinking about Gage. She really liked him, more than a friend and she regretted never telling him that. It might be too late now, unless of course, she found a way to escape. She wasn't sure what was going to happen to her but she knew she wasn't going to like it.  
  
She heard the clicking sound of the key being turned inside the lock and the door open. She didn't know who had entered the room because she was facing the wall, away from the door.  
  
"Hello, Sydney!"  
  
The voice came from behind her. She knew that voice very well. It was a bit darker than the last time she heard it but it contained the same pure evil and hatred for her. He moved closer to her and placed a gentle kiss on top of her head.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"Just welcoming you here. I'm very grateful you took the time to come here for this little meeting." He said.  
  
"It's not like I had much choice."  
  
"Well, you know what I want from you, don't you?" he asked even though he knew she did.  
  
"What? Another kid? I didn't think you'd want another one since you've already got trouble with your first."  
  
He looked surprised at the way she challenged him. He remembered her as a frightened young girl without much belief in herself at all. She certainly had changed, and not for the better he thought.  
  
"I can see you are not the same person you were."  
  
"Eight years changes a person." She waited for his reaction and then "And becoming a Texas Ranger too." She reminded him of who she was now.  
  
Johnny nodded.  
  
"Yes, I know what you are. You decided to become a Ranger for some reason I don't understand. And I bet you think your colleagues are going to come for you."  
  
He was standing in front of her now, staring down at her. Sydney wanted nothing more than to get up and knock him out, but that was not possible at the time.  
  
"But I'm sorry to disappoint you, Sydney. That won't happen. There is no way they will find you all the way out here in the middle of nowhere."  
  
"Where are we?" she asked.  
  
"More importantly.....where is the tape? Or should I say tapes?" he studied her reaction to the last word. "Yes, I know there is more than one tape of my daughter, me and her mother."  
  
Sydney frowned. "She's my daughter, Johnny. Not your wife's."  
  
He picked up a chair and threw it with all his strength at the wall.  
  
"Wow, Johnny. That really got to you, huh?" she taunted him. He never had time to answer before the man who had visited her in the room earlier came in to see what had happened.  
  
Johnny simply waved his hand at him. "It's fine. Leave us!" He did and once again they were alone together behind closed doors. Sydney had no fear of him. She only felt fear of dying and leaving her daughter with him and his abusive wife, with no hope of ever knowing who her real mother was.  
  
"My daughter is fine where she is. She knows we love her. But now that I see you, speak to you, I can see where she got all that insolence she shows from time to time. That is what you have on those tapes, the occasions when she acts like a spoiled brat and we deal with that."  
  
Sydney felt like she was about to explode with anger. She hoped her sister would tell Walker and the others about this man and that they would find a way to get to her soon. Because when they did she was determined to pay Johnny back for all the pain he had caused both her and her little girl over the years.  
  
"You said she would be happy with the two of you. I always knew you were wrong. And those tapes will prove it."  
  
Sydney was so glad she had found the old woman who was going to testify about the abuse and who had been willing to put up a video-camera in the little one's room. That way she had more proof than just the tape at the play-ground that the girl was being abused by both parents.  
  
Johnny waved a finger an inch from her face and shook his head.  
  
"No, no, no. They won't, because you are going to tell me where you've hidden them." He took out a knife with a very large blade and placed it at her throat. "Or I will kill you."  
  
He watched her and admired her ability not to freak out during such a threat.  
  
"You are not afraid."  
  
"I'd rather die here than tell you where they are." she said and closed her eyes as if waiting for him to strike.  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
She opened her eyes and looked into his once again.  
  
"Because if I tell you where they are, you will kill me anyway just to keep something like this from happening again and to get me out of your life. But if I don't tell you and let this end here, the tapes will be sent to the Texas Rangers who will make sure my daughter will be safe for the rest of her life." She finished.  
  
"You're lying!!" he yelled "You have arranged no such thing.!!"  
  
As he realized he had just hurt her with the knife pressed against her throat, he took it away and instead slapped her across the face and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.  
  
Sydney sighed. At least the woman who could testify was still alive and safe. There hadn't been enough time to tell Sylvia that the old lady was also a witness to some serious drug smuggling. Or maybe she just hadn't wanted her to know, no matter how close they were. It was more important to keep her safe. The old maid had been listening to conversations going on in the mansion for a long time now. And recently she had over heard Johnny and his father talking about a large shipment of drugs coming in at three o'clock in two days now.  
  
The Lawrence place:  
  
Walker stopped the car outside the gate and stepped out to convince the man on the other side to open it up, or he would shoot it open. That did it in two seconds and the rangers could continue up to the house. It was a very big house, or perhaps it would be referred to as a mansion. And there was a huge garden surrounding it. If he didn't know any better he'd say this looked like a perfect place for a child to grow up in.  
  
Trivette rang the door bell. It didn't take long before a slender, dark haired woman opened the it. She was very beautiful and wore a long white dress with long sleeves and a diamante necklace.  
  
"Yes? Can I help you?" she asked in a tired voice.  
  
Gage spoke first. "Mrs Lawrence?"  
  
"Yes, that's me. And who are you?"  
  
"We're Texas Rangers, Ma'am. We have a search-warrant and would like for you to step aside so we can come inside, please." Walker explained.  
  
"What's this all about?" she wondered as she glanced at the three men standing on her door-step.  
  
"Is your husband home? We'd like to talk to him."  
  
"Not that it's any of your business but no, he's not. He's out of town working and before you ask.......no, I do not know where or with what. Now if you'll excuse me..." she tried to close the door but Gage stopped her.  
  
"Ma'am, we'd like to come inside and take a look around." She looked like she was about to protest again so Gage held up the warrant to remind her she didn't have an option.  
  
"Fine, come in if you must. I have nothing to hide." The rangers entered the house.  
  
To be continued 


	11. Meeting Rebecca

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing them for the story.  
  
The three rangers split up in their search for Johnny Lawrence or anything that would help them find Sydney.  
  
There was a big set of stairs leading to the second floor.  
  
"Guys, I'll take a look up there!" Gage called to his friends and started walking up the stairs. He couldn't stop thinking "what if she was already dead".  
  
No. I can't think like that. Sydney is too stubborn to die.´ he thought.  
  
He reached the top of the stairs, was now standing in an empty corridor with many doors. He chose the closest one and opened it to see what was behind it. Not much. Just a simple room that looked like it was designed for guests to stay in. He exited the room and continued to the next.  
  
He quickly checked a few more rooms, but no Johnny Lawrence. As he got to the fourth room a crash was heard, coming from the room at the end of the corridor. Gage hurried over there, expecting to find the man they were looking for. But he soon realized that the room he had just entered belonged to a child. But he could not see one.  
  
This was obviously a little girl's room. It had pink wallpapers and dolls sitting or standing in small chairs or on the floor. A big bed had been placed next to the window and the pillows and blankets were spread all over the bed.  
  
Suddenly Gage heard someone sobbing and it came from under a bed quilt on the floor next to the bed. He stepped closer and then carefully lifted it and peeked under it. There sat a small girl, hugging her knees. Tears were pouring out of her eyes and she looked terrified.  
  
"Hi there sweetie! My name is Gage. What's yours?" he asked in the kindest and most patient voice he could manage under the circumstances. He lifted the quilt off her and put it on the bed.  
  
The little girl kept scanning the room as if she expected something horrible to jump out at her. She didn't seem to be afraid of him though. Gage reached out his hand and she accepted it. He helped her up.  
  
"What happened in here? I heard a noise."  
  
The girl, still dressed in her pyjamas met his gaze but quickly looked down again.  
  
"S-sorry."she stammered through her tears. "I had a bad dream and fell out of the bed. I'm sorry." She said.  
  
It wasn't until Gage looked into those eyes that he understood who he was talking to. He had been so set on meeting this Johnny guy that he completely forgot who else lived here. This was Sydney's daughter. She looked so much like her mother it was scary. The same eyes, the same ears and hair colour. The girl smiled at him. They even had the same smile.  
  
So, this is what Syd looked like at eight. Wow! I never thought I'd get to see that.´  
  
He wiped away a tear from her nose with his thumb.  
  
"It's not your fault you had a bad dream. We all have those. What's your name?"  
  
"Rebecca Lawrence." She answered and grabbed a teddy-bear on the bed for comfort.  
  
Gage smiled at her. "That's a very pretty name." footsteps were heard from the corridor and Trivette appeared in the doorway. His eyes grew a little wider when he saw who Gage was talking to and a look of recognition spread across his face. He quickly recovered and pointed out the door.  
  
"Gage, we gotta go. We've checked every inch of this house and he's not here. Not that we expected him to be."  
  
"Ok. I'm coming."  
  
"Wow, she looks so much like Sydney." Trivette said. Rebecca looked up and stared at him. She had stopped crying and seemed more relaxed than just a moment ago.  
  
"Who's Sydney?" she asked confused by the ranger's observation. "And who are you?" she wondered, pointing her small finger at Trivette.  
  
"I'm Trivette and Sydney is........uhm.........Nobody. Just my sister."he lied. "She lives far away from here."  
  
"Oh, okay." She ran pass him and down the stairs.  
  
"I don't think we should leave her here with that woman." Gage said. "I mean you heard Sylvia, she's being abused by her father. Maybe by Mrs Lawrence too."  
  
Trivette nodded."Yeah, I know Gage. But we can't just take her with us. We don't have any proof of that until we find Syd."  
  
"I know. It just seems so wrong to leave her here. And by the way, your sister?" he asked with a chuckle.  
  
"I had to say something. Don't laugh!"  
  
The two rangers met up with Walker downstairs. He was standing talking to Mrs Lawrence with the little girl next to her. The woman repeatedly tried to take the child by the hand, but she pulled it away each time.  
  
"Honey, why don't you go to the kitchen and start making breakfast and I'll be right there to help you, ok?"  
  
Rebecca took off as fast as she could and she never turned back.  
  
"Isn't it a bit late for breakfast, Mrs Lawrence?" Gage asked glancing at his watch. "I let her sleep late, it's so much more quiet around here when she does. And she is more rested when she does get up that way." She too took a look at the time." I'll show you out." She simply said.  
  
Walker's cell-phone made a loud noise in his pocket and he hurried to get it out and answer.  
  
"Walker, it's Alex. I did some checking and found the woman that Sylvia talked about. You know the one who used to work at the place you are at and could testify about the abuse."  
  
"That's great, Alex. Did you talk to her?"  
  
"Yes, just a minute ago. She told me the whole story and she also gave me some video-tapes showing it happening in their home. I talked to the judge and he's willing to let you take the girl with you for her own protection until it has been proven in court. But you can't arrest the parents until we've watched those tapes."  
  
Walker sighed with relief. That was exactly what he had wanted to do when he first heard about the little girl. No child should have to be abused by anyone.  
  
"I was hoping you'd say that. Great work Alex, we'll do that right now." He hung up the phone and turned to the woman in front of him.  
  
"We have to take your daughter with us, Mrs Lawrence. We have a witness who claims she has been abused here." He eyed the woman who didn't seem to take the news very well at all. "Trivette, would you go get the girl? We're leaving now." Trivette left for the kitchen.  
  
"You can't take my child away. You have no right!!!" she screamed as loud as she could. "I want all of you to leave NOW!"  
  
"We will, with Rebecca." Gage said and watched as her face went blank when she realized this was a fight she could not win.  
  
Trivette returned with Rebecca, still dressed in her pyjamas. Gage ran upstairs to her room again and quickly went through her wardrobe, searching for something easy to bring with them. He grabbed some dresses and underwear. Just as he was about to leave he saw the same teddy-bear the girl had hugged earlier and brought that too.  
  
He could hear the argument between Mrs Lawrence and his friends downstairs. Of course it was sad when a mother and her child were parted, but they all knew for a fact that the woman down there was not Rebecca's real mother, and she did not, according to Gage, deserve a sweet girl like her if she didn't treat her well.  
  
To be continued 


	12. A hero and three friends found

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing them.  
  
Ranger Headquarters:  
  
Rebecca was seated at Gage's desk drawing a picture for him to keep. She had made all the rangers and Alex each a picture. She seemed to have adapted quite well to the situation. When they had told her in the car where they were taking her, she was thrilled and said she had always wanted to see "the big Ranger house"."  
  
Walker watched as Rebecca handed the picture to Gage and then gave him a hug. Alex came over and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"She's such a beautiful little girl. I can't wait until we are parents ourselves." He smiled at her and kissed her back. "So, how are you going to find Johnny Lawrence?"  
  
"Well, I'm guessing he's probably with Sydney at the place they're holding her...."  
  
"Yeah, if she's still alive" Gage cut in from across the room.  
  
"I'm sure she is. Any way, I'm thinking we should go out and look for some people he knows and put a little pressure on them sort of speak. Someone has to know where he is and we'll find that someone."  
  
"Who are you trying to find?" asked a tiny voice from over at the desk.  
  
"No one, honey. Just go back to drawing ok? You're doing a great job." Said Alex. Rebecca's face lit up at the compliment and she continued her fifth picture, eager to finish it and give it to one of her new friends.  
  
"All right, let's go do that." Trivette said and quickly rose.  
  
"Rebecca can stay here with me, is that ok with you, honey?" Alex asked. The child looked up.  
  
"I'd like to go with Ranger Gage, please." She turned to Gage with hope in her eyes.  
  
"I'd like to take you with me to, sweetie. But I think it's best for you to stay here with Alex. Me and Walker and Trivette are going to see some not so nice people and I don't think you'd like them very much." He hated to disappoint her but bringing her with them was not what Sydney would want him to do, he was sure of that.  
  
Rebecca pouted a bit and the look on her face said that she didn't really understand why she had to be left behind, but she accepted it anyway. She didn't understand where the Rangers were going or why they were going there, but it didn't matter to her as long as she could stay with Gage. He was the one who, according to her had saved her from an endless nightmare. She had never had a person she could look up to before, and in less than four hours she had gained a hero and three friends. And she was not about to ruin that by being stubborn.  
  
"Ok, I'll stay here with Alex." She said and tried not to sound too disappointed with her decision. She didn't wish to offend the pretty lady who was obviously Ranger Walker's girlfriend.  
  
Gage gently touched her cheek and smiled. It felt strange, knowing that Sydney, his partner and friend had a daughter. He had long known deep down that there was more to Sydney than what he knew. But he had never suspected this. Perhaps this was the reason she always seemed to keep her distance. Almost as if she feared love, except a friendship love.  
  
The Rangers left the building hoping to find someone that knew something he was better off not knowing, because if they did, they would soon be forced to share the information with the Texas Rangers.  
  
An hour later:  
  
Walker pushed the man up against the wall and grabbed his bleeding chin.  
  
"Now, I'm going to ask you one more time.....where is Johnny Lawrence keeping Ranger Cooke?"  
  
The man desperately tried to free himself. He really believed Walker would seriously injure him if he gave him more reason to.  
  
"I d-don't know....really...I don't."  
  
"I know you are Mr Lawrence's "right hand". You arrange his biggest work, dirty or not. He tells you the most important things and then you take care of his business." Walker reached behind his back as if reaching for some sort of weapon to use. The man's eyes grew wide with fear.  
  
"I...I'm telling you the truth. I am, really. Usually he lets me handle most things." He said, avoiding confessing that the man he worked for was a criminal. "But this time he told me I could take the week off. He wouldn't tell me anything else about what he was working on."  
  
Walker locked eyes with him for a minute. He wasn't lying to them, he was too afraid to. He let him go and watched as he ran away. Then he turned to his friends with a sad look.  
  
"He didn't know anything. That was the last one we know Johnny socializes with. I can't think of anyone else to whom he would entrust. Can you?"  
  
Trivette and Gage both shook their heads. The situation seemed hopeless. Johnny Lawrence had made sure to leave no trace and Gage was getting desperate.  
  
"We could drive over to that old lady who is going to testify and see if she can remember hearing anything about some hide-out where he could have taken her." Trivette suggested.  
  
"That's not a bad idea, let's do that." Gage said. "But if it's alright with you I'd like to get back to Rebecca and see so she's alright. I'll see you both later, ok?" Walker and Trivette looked at each other confused. They had expected Gage to want to go with them so maybe they would find Sydney faster if they all worked together. But of course they agreed that he should do what he felt was best for the girl.  
  
So they left for the safe-house where the witness was staying in while Gage took a cab himself.  
  
The Lawrence mansion:  
  
Mrs Lawrence walked into the kitchen to get some tee, hoping it would help calm her down a bit. She knew she wasn't supposed to call Johnny but she needed to tell him about the Rangers taking Rebecca and that it wasn't her fault. She reached for the phone on the table but stopped when she realized she wasn't alone in the room. Someone was standing by the window watching her. It was a man and she had seen him only a couple of hours ago.  
  
"Hello Mrs Lawrnece. I hope you remember me.......... Ranger Gage."  
  
To be continued 


	13. The deal

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger".  
  
Gage approached her from across the room.  
  
"I remember. What do you want this time, Ranger Gage? I have no more children for you to take." She said with anger in her voice. She stared at him with eyes cold as ice.  
  
"That's not why I'm here." He took a long breath. "I'm about to do something that goes against everything I stand for as a Texas Ranger. But I realize now that it's necessary. We're running out of time and I'm afraid if we wait much longer a person I love very much will be dead when we get to her."  
  
He took out his gun and pointed it at her. "Sit down at the table, Mrs Lawrence."  
  
"What are you doing? You are a Texas Ranger, you can't do this." She slowly sat down on a chair and put her hands on the table.  
  
Gage ignored her objections and reached for the phone she had been about to use when she entered the kitchen.  
  
"Is there anybody else in the house?" she didn't answer. "Is there anybody else?" he repeated a little louder. She shook her head.  
  
"Good. Then I want you to call your husband and find out where he is for me. We both know he has Sydney Cooke and I want to know where."  
  
"Or you will shoot me?" she asked.  
  
Gage hesitated. He had never threatened someone like this before. This woman was a criminal in a way but he would never shoot her no matter what happened. He had made sure no accidents would happen by taking out the bullets. But he needed her to think he was going to use it if she didn't call Johnny. He could lose his job over this but Sydney was worth it. He couldn't let her die.  
  
"Yes, or I will shoot you." He assured her. "Take the phone and call him....NOW."  
  
"I can't do it. He'll kill me if I do, and then he'll kill himself. He couldn't live knowing I had betrayed him."  
  
Gage kept the gun pointed at her. "So you're going to let an innocent woman die?" He stepped closer to her. "You know, it would be easy for me to make your death look like suicide. A woman who's husband left her alone home because he had to work. The police come, takes her child away and she kills herself." He looked at her and could see she was terrified. She believed him.  
  
"No, no please. I'll call him, I will." She picked up the phone and dialled a number. He answered almost right away and she began to speak in a shaky voice. "Johnny, it's me. Where are you?"  
  
"You know I can't tell you that, baby. Why do you ask? Did something happen?" he answered on the other line. Gage took the phone from her.  
  
"Let me talk to Sydney." He said.  
  
"Who is this? Who are you" Johnny asked surprised and angry at the same time.  
  
"My name is Francis Gage. You have my partner and I have your wife and daughter."  
  
"What?" was all he could think of to say.  
  
"Your daughter is safe with the police but your wife isn't. And let's just say she won't be either if you don't give Syd back unharmed." He tried to sound like he was absolutely sure he knew what he was doing. The truth was he had come up with the plan when they ran out of people who possibly knew where Johnny and Sydney were. He hadn't had much time to prepare it.  
  
"Hey man, you're a Texas Ranger. I know that and you can't kidnap my wife. This is some sort of trick to get me to come running with your girlfriend."  
  
Gage gave the phone back to Mrs Lawrence. "Tell him I'm serious and what will happen if he doesn't cooperate."  
  
"Johnny, if you don't give the Ranger back.......he will kill me. He is here alone and.........and I don't think the other Rangers know he's doing this." She said. He took the phone back.  
  
"We already have proof about the abuse and are aware Sydney knows about something big that's going to happen. Probably something to do with drugs, am I right" he asked not expecting an answer. "We already have your daughter and you're not gonna get her back...but you can get your wife back. You can still get away and escape before Sydney tells anyone about your little secret, all I want is her back and her daughter safe, ok?"  
  
"Like I'd want to keep this bitch, you can have her." He said. "If you hurt my wife or try to trick me I'll kill your girlfriend here, understand?"  
  
"Yeah, I got it. We'll meet by the abandoned warehouse on Oak-street in three hours." He finished and hung up.  
  
A hidden cabin:  
  
Johnny unlocked the door and entered the room Sydney was in. He walked right over to her, took off the hand-cuffs and howled her to her feet. The first thing she did was try to punch him in the face but he ducked and quickly tied her hands up again. She was still very weak and had no way to defend herself. Johnny took out the knife again and held it close to her face.  
  
"If you try anything, I'll cut your throat. The only reason you're still breathing is that your boyfriend has my wife and now I'm going to exchange you for her."  
  
Sydney was very confused. Her boyfriend? She didn't have a boyfriend, who would kidnap Johnny's wife just to get her back? Gage! But he was a Texas Ranger like her. Surely he wouldn't cross that line for someone who wasn't more than a friend to him. Or would he?  
  
"Let's go!" he said and took her by the arm and dragged her outside to a car that was waiting for them. The man who had been there when she woke up was going to drive them somewhere to meet Gage or who ever it was that was making this happen.  
  
Or maybe he's lying. Maybe he's just saying that so I'll stay calm while he takes me out in the forest to kill me.´ she thought.  
  
Suddenly she could feel her strength coming back and she pushed away from him. She started running, not sure where she was going. She ran behind the cabin and took cover behind a shed. She struggled to free herself from the ropes but they were too tight. Instead she picked up a large rock from the ground and waited for the kidnappers to come. She stood up and raised the rock high above her head and slammed it down on the man who came around the corner first, who happened to be Johnny. He fell to the ground but the rock had only hit him in the shoulder. She got the next one in the head and knocked him out, leaving him bleeding on the ground. Unfortunately something she had not expected happened next. A third man who was so big he could be a wrestler had joined Johnny and the driver when she ran off and now he surprised her by coming up from behind her and knocking her out.  
  
He helped Johnny up and then carried Sydney to the car and put her in the backseat.  
  
"What about Miller?" the big one asked Johnny.  
  
"Forget him, he's dead. Just drive!"  
  
To be continued 


	14. Together again

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing them for the story.  
  
Gage was standing inside the warehouse with Mrs Lawrence next to him .He felt bad about letting Johnny Lawrence and his wife go but he understood that he had no choice but to do it. Johnny would definitely not come alone, Sydney was probably not up for a fight and he couldn't risk her being killed. No, he was on his own now. But as soon as this was over he would tell her how he felt about her.  
  
What have I got to loose? The worst thing that could happen is that she'll tell me she doesn't feel the same way. But god...........I hope she does.´  
  
Hearing the large metal door opening brought him back to reality. He took Mrs Lawrence gently by the arm and moved a bit closer. He wanted to be close to the door when he and Sydney were ready to leave. He had rented a car on the way there and had it parked right outside so they could get away quickly just in case Johnny changed his mind and tried to kill them.  
  
"Hello Ranger Gage! I have your girlfriend here but she's taking a little nap at the moment."  
  
Johnny walked towards Gage with a man carrying Sydney walking right behind him. Gage could see that she certainly wasn't taking a nap, but was unconscious. But even so he was relieved to see she was alive.  
  
"What have you done to her?" he asked and took a step closer to Johnny who stayed where he was, not appearing to be threatened by him at all. He signalled to the man to put her on the floor.  
  
"Oh, nothing really. She tried to escape and we had to stop her." Gage resisted the urge to "stop" him right there. Johnny looked at his wife and his face softened a little.  
  
"Honey, are you ok?" she nodded and he turned to Gage again. "There has been a change of plans. I've been asking around and it seems you have gone through an awful lot of trouble to get Sydney here back. My guess is that she is either your girlfriend.........or you are in love with her. I don't care which one it is, but I think you'll do just about anything to see her safe."  
  
Gage hadn't been prepared for this, he had just assumed Johnny would take make the trade and go. He had already lost his daughter and the evidence was in the hands of the Texas Rangers and he knew there was nothing Gage could do about that. Or did he?  
  
"What is it you want?"  
  
"I want my daughter. You can get her to me. You probably know where she and if you don't you can find out."  
  
"I already told you on the phone, I can't do that and I won't. That was not the deal."  
  
"I don't care what the deal was. I'm changing it now!! And you'd better give me what I want or she's dead." He took out a gun from inside his jacket and pointed it at Sydney on the floor. "What's it gonna be, Ranger? You want to go home with her alive or with her dead body?"  
  
"If you kill her you'll have every Ranger and police officer in Texas looking for you, including me." Gage threatened. But it didn't do any good, Johnny still had that look that said he wasn't giving in, he wanted both wife and child. "I don't think you're stupid enough to take the risk that I will find you."  
  
"Maybe I will..maybe I won't. Are you willing to take that chance?"  
  
Gage looked at Sydney lying on the cold cement floor. Her wrists were red, her face was bruised and her throat had a small cut.. She had obviously been tied up for a long time and she had been abused. Suddenly he heard a noise from behind him. The back door had been kicked in. He turned around and saw Walker and Trivette, accompanied by two other Rangers storm in.  
  
Johnny was just as surprised as Gage and as he lost his concentration Gage kicked him in the head and he fell to the floor. He quickly recovered and got up again. Walker took over and allowed Gage to check on Sydney, which was what he had wanted to do all along.  
  
He sat down next to her and checked if she had a pulse, she did. He put a hand on her fore-head. He so wanted her to wake up and speak to him. And as if she had read his thoughts she moved her hand to her forehead and touched his.  
  
"Syd? Sydney?"  
  
She slowly opened her eyes and looked into his. They both smiled at each other. Gage could hear the Rangers fighting with Johnny and the other guy around them but he didn't care. He was sure they could take care of it and he wanted to stay by her side now. Johnny yelled something about being back and them not having seen the last of him while being dragged out of the warehouse together with his wife and the man, but they hardly noticed.  
  
"Can you stand?" Gage asked her.  
  
"Yeah I think so." He helped her up and got her to the car. He opened the door for her so she could get in and closed it. Before getting in himself he remembered how confused he had been a moment ago and asked his friends:  
  
"How did you know what I was going to do? And how did you know where to find us?"  
  
Walker put a hand on his shoulder. "It wasn't very hard to understand where you were going. A person who loves someone as deeply as you love Sydney is willing to risk anything to get her back." He smiled a little "I saw your look when we realized we weren't getting anywhere and were running out of time. Then we just followed you."  
  
"I see. Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it." Said Trivette, "We've got to get her to the hospital and find out what it was she found out about the Lawrence-company."  
  
To be continued 


	15. Love

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger.  
  
The hospital:  
  
Walker and Trivette were seated on the couch and Gage tried to make time pass by faster by pacing the corridor. Only it didn't. They hadn't really been waiting long at all but it felt like they had to him. In the car Sydney had become unconscious again on the way to the hospital so they hadn't been able to find out what it was she knew yet, or when it was happening.  
  
This is the second time this week that I'm in the hospital, worried sick about her. At least Rebecca is safe with Alex.´  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by a nurse who stepped out to tell him Sydney was awake and waiting to see them. Gage practically ran after her to the room. Walker and Trivette were already there, standing by the bed looking down at the patient they all knew so well. She greeted him with a warm smile.  
  
Trivette noticed the concerned looks Gage was giving his partner and gave Walker a little push to the side that said they had better leave. He repeated it again when Walker didn't seem to get the message the first time.  
  
"Oh, right. We'll leave you two alone for a few minutes. Uhm, Gage.........be sure to get the information we need too, ok?"  
  
Gage heard them, but didn't answer. That was not his biggest concern right now. He took a seat by the bed as the other two Rangers left the room.  
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked. Couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment. Strange. When I was unable to talk to her I had so much to say. But now, it's like my mind has been emptied.´  
  
She didn't answer anyway. The smile had faded away and been replaced by a look of guilt and gratefulness. Gage took Sydney's hand and squeezed it to offer comfort for what ever she was feeling. She looked at him with tears in her eyes.  
  
"You know, don't you? She told you." She said as a single tear escaped from her eye. Gage nodded. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this. Is she safe? My daughter I mean. Where is she?"  
  
"She's at Ranger Headquarters with Alex and yeah, she's fine. Just fine." He took a deep breath "I know the whole story. Your sister told us."  
  
"Gage, it's not that I'm not grateful but how did you find me exactly?" she asked. "It all happened so quickly and a lot is a total blur."  
  
That was not a question he was ready to answer at that point. He was afraid that if he told her she might view him differently than before. He had not acted the way he was supposed to, and he knew it. But he would have to deal with that later, there were more important things to talk about now. He didn't mean the Lawrence-company and the drugs.  
  
"I hope it's ok if we wait with that. There is something else I need to tell you first. Something I've been wanting to tell you for some time now. And when you disappeared I was afraid I would never get to tell you." He took both her hands and held them.  
  
"Gage, before you do that, maybe I should tell you about......" she started  
  
"No, forget about that........for now that is. This is much more important."  
  
"Okay, go on. I'm listening." She encouraged him.  
  
Oh, god. I can't do this. But if I don't I know I'll regret it.´ he thought.  
  
Suddenly he heard a voice. "Tell her, Gage. You need to."  
  
"Did you hear that?" he asked her. He couldn't see anyone else in the room except him and Sydney. But he was sure he hadn't imagined it.  
  
"Hear what? I didn't hear anything." She said.  
  
"Oh, forget it." What ever that voice comes from it hasn't been wrong about anything yet.´ he thought.  
  
"Syd, I want you to know that the fact that you had a secret....well a big secret actually, but that doesn't matter."  
  
Sydney watched his strange behaviour, astonished. The last time she had seen him before all this started had been in her apartment that same night. And she remembered that he had been acting strange even then. Now he was acting the same way.  
  
"Well, it doesn't matter to me, I'm sure you had a very good reason for wanting to keep it to yourself. And........"  
  
"Gage what is it you're trying to say?" she asked and took a sip of water from a mug on the table next to the bed.  
  
"I love you."  
  
Sydney almost choked on the water but managed to swallow it down with a large cough.  
  
"What?"  
  
Had she heard right? He loved her? She had not expected him to come out and say it to her face like this. She didn't think he loved her. How could he? She had kept something from everyone including him. Then again, he had just told her that he didn't care about that, and that he loved her.  
  
"I said I LOVE YOU." He repeated and waited for an answer. Anything would do. But she just stared at him with those beautiful eyes of hers. At least she didn't look disappointed. "Would you please say something, you're making me very nervous here."  
  
"I love you too, Gage." She said with a smile. They both knew that they were talking about more than friendship this time. This was more.  
  
The door opened and Trivette entered. "Guys, I hate to break up the reunion but we really need to know what you know" he pointed at Sydney.  
  
"Oh, right. I suppose Sylvia told you about the old lady who could testify about the abuse." Walker entered just in time to hear the last. Trivette nodded. "She is also a witness of drug smuggling. There is a large shipment of drugs coming in at three o'clock in two days."  
  
"Where?" Walker asked.  
  
"At Johnny's house. A man who calls himself Leonard Anderson is going to deliver it to Johnny and his company makes sure to sell it to someone else. In the end it ends up on the streets. But I take it we're not going to let that happen."  
  
"No, we're not. We'll make sure it doesn't get out that Johnny Lawrence has been arrested and make this Anderson think that the deal is still on." Walker explained and the others agreed it was a good plan.  
  
"What I'd like to know" Sydney said "Is when I can get out of here and see my daughter and my sister." She eyed her friends as if they had the power to decide if she had to stay or could leave right away. Gage tried to be helpful. He understood how much Sydney wanted to see them.  
  
"Syd, I'm sure Sylvia won't mind bringing Rebecca here so you can see her."  
  
She objected to that immediately. "No, absolutely not. I don't want the first time I speak to her to be at the hospital. I feel fine and I'm getting out of here now." She sat up and reached for the clothes she had been wearing earlier.  
  
"Miss Cooke, you can't leave." The Rangers turned and there stood one of the nurses, arms crossed across her chest. "Maybe tomorrow but the doctor wants to keep you here during the night just in case. So you may as well lay back and relax."  
  
Sydney sighed and leaned back again. This was going to be a very long night.  
  
To be continued 


	16. The reunion

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger" I'm just borrowing them for the story.  
  
Title: A stranger's opinion  
  
Sydney was half awake and half asleep. She wasn't sure which but something she was certain of was that she was having a wonderful dream. She and Gage were living together in a little house with a small garden surrounding it. And in the garden was a little girl playing, it was her daughter. She had a clear picture of her and what she was like in her mind, even though she hadn't been close enough to touch her for so long.  
  
She heard someone enter the room and wanted to ask that someone to please leave again so she could continue her dream. Not wanting it to end she turned her back to the door and tried to go back to sleep entirely. She couldn't hear any footsteps so she assumed the person who had entered was standing in the doorway, watching her.  
  
Alright, I give up. Guess I'm not gonna get more sleep this morning.´ she thought and opened her eyes. At first she found herself staring at the wall, then she remembered she had turned away from the door. She turned to the person to see who it was and was not surprised to see it was Gage. He had hardly left the room all night. It was almost as if he was afraid she would vanish.  
  
"Hi there." She said and smiled at him a little sheepishly.  
  
"Good morning. How are you feeling?"  
  
"A little sore, but much better, thanks. I wanna see her you know." She said. Seeing Rebecca was all she had thought about all night. She had even had dreams about it and now she was sure she couldn't wait any longer.  
  
"I know, and I've talked to Alex. She's bringing her to the park later and meeting us there."  
  
Suddenly Sydney felt very nervous about seeing her daughter. What if they didn't get along at all. What if she would be afraid of her or........  
  
Gage saw her sad and worried expression. .Of course she's nervous, I would be too if it was me and my child.´  
  
"Look, Syd, I really don't think you have anything to worry about. I've met her and she's wonderful. She'll love you, I'm sure."  
  
Their eyes met and she felt a little better knowing how he felt. He was probably right, what could go wrong? She had waited so long for this and now her dream was about to come true.  
  
"Uhm, Syd. Maybe we should talk about......you know, what we talked about yesterday." He said, hoping she would understand what he was saying. At first she looked like she was waiting for him to continue but then she realized what it was he was trying to say.  
  
"Oh, right. Of course. I want to have a serious conversation about that too, but right now, I just want to see my daughter. Maybe we could find a time to sit down and talk?" she suggested. She felt a little awkward talking about this, it was so new. It was only a couple of days ago that she had had no idea how he felt and he didn't know about her own feelings toward him either. But now they both knew, and would have to discuss it soon.  
  
"Yeah, we will. When ever you feel up for it, ok?" she nodded in agreement. "Now, get dressed so we can go meet your little girl."  
  
Sydney hurried to get ready. They exited the room and walked down the corridor. Before leaving they stopped by the doctor's office so she could thank him for everything. They got in the car and drove off.  
  
The park:  
  
Alex sat on a bench, watching Rebecca play with the other kids in the park. She seemed to get along fine with everyone. Before leaving she had explained the situation to her. At least half the situation. She had told her they were going to the park to play a while and then meet Gage and a friend of his. Walker and Trivette would join them a little later and they would all go to a restaurant and have some lunch.  
  
"Alex! Look at me!!"  
  
Alex turned her head to see Rebecca on a swing with a little boy next to her. She waved at the two smiling kids and took a bite from the apple in her hand. She couldn't wait until she and Walker had a baby of their own one day. Rebecca ran over to Alex and took a seat next to her.  
  
"Will Ranger Gage be here soon, Alex? I wanna see him soon."  
  
"He'll be here soon, and so will his friend. She just got out of the hospital so it might take her some time to get ready, but then they'll be here and we can go eat."  
  
"Good, because I'm really hungry. Who's his friend?"  
  
"Her name is Sydney and she's a Texas Ranger too. Actually, she' Gage's partner." She said without revealing too much. She looked up and saw Walker and Trivette walking towards them. "Look!" she pointed at the Rangers "Here comes Trivette and Walker. Go on and meet them."  
  
She didn't have to tell her twice, Rebecca was already on her way over to greet them.  
  
"Hi! sweetie." Trivette said as the girl approached them. "How are you doing today?"  
  
"Fine, thanks." She turned to Walker "I slept in your house last night, Ranger Walker." She proudly informed him.  
  
"Yeah, I know. I got home late last night and left before you were awake this morning but I know you were there." He took her by the hand and led her over to Alex. He kissed Alex on the cheek and sat down.  
  
"Hi, you two."  
  
"Hi, Alex. Are Gage and Sydney not here yet?"  
  
"No, not yet. So, where do you want to eat?"  
  
"How about Mexican food? I know a great place a few blocks away." Trivette cut in.  
  
Rebecca felt a boring conversation about restaurants and food coming on and returned to her new friend by the swings. She grinned from ear to ear loving every minute of this. For once she was with people she liked and felt safe with. She wasn't exactly sure why she was there, but she suspected it had something to do with her parents not being very nice to her all the time.  
  
Gage and Sydney exited the car and started walking towards the park. For every step she took she grew more nervous. She could hear her every heartbeat and breath.  
  
"So, what are you going to tell her, Syd?"  
  
"Haven't really thought of it. I guess I'm going to improvise."  
  
They entered the park and could see the playground in the distance. Then she saw what she had been waiting for. A little girl playing. She was blocked by the trees most of the time but she could see her. Dressed in a blue dress with yellow flowers on and a white pair of shoes, she looked beautiful.  
  
Sydney started walking faster and faster. A part of her wanted to get there as fast as possible and another part just wanted to turn around and run away. But this wasn't just about her fear and joy, she realized as she moved forward with Gage by her side. There was also her daughter to consider. Her happiness was at stake too and there was no way she was going to make her go through life without her mother. Her real mother.  
  
Gage spotted Walker, Trivette and Alex. "Let's go join the others, she'll be here soon."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Sydney, Gage!"  
  
"Hi guys! Well, we're here." Gage said.  
  
Walker got up and offered his seat to Sydney who still looked a little pale. "How are you doing Sydney?"  
  
"Better, much better, thanks." She glanced at Rebecca over by the swings. She and her new friend were playing hide and seek. "How is she?"  
  
"She's doing great. Woke up around ten o'clock this morning and has been talking non stop since. She's looking forward to seeing Gage's friend you know." She said, trying to make Sydney relax a bit.  
  
"Do you want us to take a walk and leave the two of you alone for a while?" Gage asked. Sydney considered it but had slightly different plans.  
  
"No, that's not necessary. I'll go over there and meet her, then we'll go for lunch......all of us."  
  
Trivette looked at her, confused by her answer. "Don't you think you'll need a little more time to explain everything to her?"  
  
"No, because I'm not going to." She saw the other's wondering expressions and added "Right now, that is. I'm worried it might come as a chock to her. I mean, Johnny's wife is the woman Rebecca has always thought was her mother. I want to give her a chance to get to know me, and I want to get to know her."  
  
Alex put an arm around Sydney's shoulders. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."  
  
"Thanks. I just want to spend some time with her before I tell her." She rose and started to walk to Rebecca, then she spun around to face her friends "Actually, why don't you all go ahead. We'll meet you at the restaurant."  
  
"Okay, sure. Take your time." Walker said.  
  
"What place did you agree on?" she asked.  
  
"The Mexican place a few blocks away. Do you know where it is?" asked Trivette.  
  
"Yeah, I do. See you there soon."  
  
She headed for the playground as the others walked away.  
  
Well, it's just me and you know.´ she thought. I'm ready for this´ she told herself, trying to be convincing.  
  
Rebecca stopped playing and started to look around for Alex and the others. She couldn't believe they would just leave her here alone. She started to get worried but then she saw someone walking towards her. A woman who looked a lot like her. A lot, a lot actually. There was something about her face that made her feel safe and suddenly she realized who it must be. Ranger Gage's partner of course. She felt like she had seen this woman before, maybe she was there at Ranger Headquarters when she was brought there yesterday.  
  
She brushed off the dirt from her dress, said bye to her friend Mike and walked over to the woman.  
  
Sydney just stared at the girl standing in front of her. Gage had told her they looked a lot like each other but she had never expected it to be so true. It was like seeing herself as a kid again. She kneeled down to take a closer look at her.  
  
Sydney reached for her hand and when she held it she felt a shiver run down her spine. Mother and daughter took a few minutes just looking at each other.  
  
"Hi." Sydney said and broke the silence.  
  
"Hi! My name is Rebecca."  
  
Sydney swallowed hard. "I know."  
  
The girl looked surprised. "How do you know that?"  
  
"Oh, Ranger Gage told me earlier. You remember him, right?"  
  
"Of course I remember him. He's my hero. He saved me." She answered with confidence. "You're his partner, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, my name is Sydney."  
  
"I know."  
  
To be continued 


	17. Fun and seriousness

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing them for the story.

Title: A stranger's opinion

Sydney and Rebecca spent an hour walking around in the park, just talking. It took her a while but Sydney finally got Rebecca to talk to her about what had been going on at home for the past years.

She's confiding in me, I think that's great considering this is the first time we've ever talked. It's gotta be´

"Rebecca?..." she started.

"You can call me Becky, my friends call me that. Not that I've ever had that many, but the ones I have call me that." She looked at Sydney and smiled a beautiful smile.

"Becky, do you want to go back to your father and...........and your mother?" she asked, not sure what she wanted the answer to be. She glanced at the girl who now looked very sad. Her smile had been replaced by tears. Sydney stopped and knelt to face her daughter. She took her small hand in hers and wiped a tear away from her cheek with the other. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I don't know." She answered in a shaky voice..

"Do you miss your parents?" she asked, but actually hoped the answer would be no. Becky thought about it a few seconds and then raised her head to answer her new friend.

"I'm not sure." She said and wiped a few new tears away with her sleeve. "When we have company, they are really nice to me, then they love me, in front of them. But when I'm alone with them they are different." She took a deep breath "I'm afraid of being alone with them."

When Sydney saw the little girl's tears and the sadness on her face she couldn't control herself any longer. She hugged her daughter for a long time, until she knew she had stopped crying. The girl gently pushed away from her mother and looked into her eyes.

"I don't want to go back there again." She said and this time sounded very sure. She wrapped her arms around Sydney's neck and held on tight. She felt herself being lifted off the ground and onto the Ranger's shoulders for a ride.

They stayed in the park for another half an hour, playing and talking some more. Then they left for the restaurant to meet the others and get a meal. They had stayed in the park a bit longer than Sydney had planned but she hoped Alex and the rest would still be at the restaurant, waiting for them.

Standing outside the building, Becky reached for Sydney's hand before entering.

Alex looked up from her menu to see them enter. Sydney and Becky approached the table where the others were seated, ready to order lunch.

"Hi guys, we were starting to think you had gotten lost on your way here." Gage said and offered Sydney a seat next to him at the table. Becky giggled at his joke and sat down next to Alex. They placed an order from the waitress and when they received their food they all ate while discussing different things. The Rangers talked about work and Alex discussed a TV-show for kids with Becky that they had watched the other night at her and Walker's house. It was about where kids wanted to work as adults.

"So, Rebecca. What do you wanna be when you are a grown-up?" Gage asked her and took another bite of his burrito.

She didn't need time to think about that, she already knew the answer. She had known ever since the first time she had entered Ranger Headquarters.

"You can call me Becky, my friends do. I want to be a Texas Ranger just like you and Sydney and Ranger Walker and Ranger Trivette too of course. Do you think I can?" she asked and looked directly at Sydney when she asked the question.

"Sure you can, honey. You can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it." Sydney assured her.

"Thank you! Is it dangerous?" she asked, excited. The Rangers looked at each other, not sure what to tell her.

"Sometimes." Sydney said trying to be honest. She didn't want to frighten her or to take away that enthusiasm but felt she needed to be honest when Becky asked about being a Ranger. But her reaction was not what she had expected.

"Great!! Then I'm definitely going to be a Ranger one day." She said with eyes sparkling like stars in the sky.

After they had all finished their food, they decided Becky was going to stay with Sydney during the night. That she was thrilled about but since she was disappointed she hadn't gotten to see much of Gage, Sydney agreed he could spend the night at her place on the couch.

"So when are you going to tell her?" Gage whispered as they walked down the street behind Trivette, Walker, Alex and a chattering Becky.

"I'm getting around to it. Sort of." He gave her a sceptical look. "I'm going to tell her, I just don't know how to put it. I can't just say "Hey, I have something to tell you. I'm your mother." I guess I'm afraid of how she'll react, that's all."

"Are you kidding? Haven't you noticed how she looks at you? You two really bonded in the park earlier, she loves you. She talked for fifteen minutes of how she got to ride on your shoulders all the way to the restaurant." He said and watched a smile spread across her face. They picked up the pace a little to catch up with the others.

"I haven't really thought of it that way, but maybe you're right." She said.

"Of course I'm right, Syd. Am I ever wrong?"

"Yes."

To be continued


	18. Home again

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "JAG", I'm just borrowing them for the story.

Title: A stranger's opinion

Becky closed the door to Sydney's apartment behind them and found Gage and Sydney standing in the middle of the living-room, staring at the mess they had forgot existed there.

Sydney turned and smiled a little at the situation that really wasn't very funny at all but she felt she had to do something.

"Right, I had forgotten about that too." Gage admitted. "But that's okay, we can all help clean the place up." He offered. Becky ran over to him and took his hand.

"Where do you want to start, Gage?" she asked with enthusiasm. She bent down to pick up some glass on the floor. She never got to do stuff like help out at home when she lived with her parents, they had people that took care of all that. But she had always wanted to.

"No, don't pick that up, honey. You could cut yourself, I'll do it. But if you really want to help you can pick up the pillows and put them back on the couch." Sydney said.

Gage and Sydney took care of all the heavy lifting, like putting the furniture back in place and Becky did all the dusting. When they were done her apartment was as good as new...almost as good as new.

Gage sat down on the couch and let out a breath. "Finally, we're done. It took three hours but it's done. I'll bet you're really happy you asked me to come along now, Syd?" She sat down next to him.

"Yeah, and it would have been ready thirty minutes ago if you and Becky hadn't gotten into that pillow fight." She laughed. "Where is she any way?"

"Taking a shower." He said with a grin "What's wrong with pillow fighting? I bet you've done it too."

"Yes I have." She answered.

"Well, there you see, I'm always right about these things." He said with an even wider grin.

"When I was ten." She replayed and patted him on the head. "I'm gonna go see how she's doing in there." She secretly smiled to herself on her way to the bathroom. It was obvious he liked kids, and that only made her love him more. She knocked on the door before entering.

"Hey, how are you doing?"

"Fine thanks. I like your place, Sydney." She said as she got out of the bath tub. Sydney grabbed a towel from a hook on the wall and wrapped her daughter up with it. "When do I have to go to bed tonight? At home I can stay up as long as I want, you know." She said with the most innocent stare she could manage.

"How does eight sound?"

"Too early. How about eleven?"

"No" Sydney simply said. "You can not stay up that late, sorry." She smiled at the girl's annoyed little face and reached for Becky's clothes on the washing-machine. She froze as she received a wave of bath water splashed in her face. Slowly she turned around to face the only person who could have done it. "Did you do that?" she shook her head "What am I saying, of course you did."

The girl once again reached down in the tub and splashed her mother with water, getting her wet from head to toe. "Becky! Stop that right now!" she yelled. But the child only giggled and continued splashing around.

Sydney made her way to the bath tub but in her desperation to end the child's game she stepped on a bar of soap and fell into the tub which was filled with water. When she got to the surface she found Gage standing over her.

"What was that you said to me earlier, Syd? The last time you had a pillow fight you were ten. How about water fights?" he laughed. She glared at him and when be bent further down to say something she let out a mouth full of water spraying him in the nose.

Ranger Headquarters:

Walker and Trivette were both in the office, working on tomorrows plan to catch the drug- dealers. They had decided not to use Sydney, no matter what she said, she was still recovering and needed to spend time with her daughter. They also knew that something big had happened between the two Rangers at the hospital and thought it would be better to leave Gage out of it too unless he insisted on being there.

Sydney's apartment:

"Once upon a time, there was this sweet little girl named Becky. She was a beautiful princess and..."

It was ten o'clock and Gage was desperately trying to make up a bed-time story that would put the girl to sleep. He had tried three different stories now that his sister had told to him when they were kids and were afraid of the dark.

Sydney was in the kitchen getting the glass of water Becky had requested a minute ago. She had planned to have that conversation with Gage tonight as soon as they'd gotten the girl to go to sleep, but that didn't seem to be an easy task.

She returned to the bedroom and put the glass down and seated herself at the edge of the bed.

"There, now you have water. Are you ready to go to sleep now?" she asked. The girl just shook her head. "Why not, you must be tired, it's late."

"I'm afraid I'll have a bad dream." She explained in a tiny voice and yawned. "I'm really not tired any way."

Gage and Sydney exchanged glances. Gage had told her about the nightmare Becky had just had when he first met her the other day. Neither one knew what they were about, but they clearly upset her a great deal. That was the only time any of them or their friends had seen her cry, not even when they had taken her with them and away from her home and family had she cried or when she had stumbled and fallen when she was with Alex, just when she had had a nightmare.

"I think you are tired, Becky. Do you want me to tell you another story so you can go to sleep?" Gage tried, but she shook her head no. "How about Sydney read you another one of her boring books. That's got to put any on in his right mind to sleep."

Sydney punched him in the stomach and the girl giggled at their behaviour toward each other. Her parents had never acted like this, like friends. She did suspect there was something more between these two, maybe they would get married and adopt her if she just went to sleep and gave them a chance to discover how much they liked one another. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep as she fantasised about being a bridesmaid at their wedding. She could hear the two Rangers bickering at each other but soon she didn't even hear that. She was asleep.

To be continued


	19. Going shopping

Title: A stranger's opinion

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing the characters for the story.

Sydney's apartment:

It was seven o'clock in the morning and Sydney and Gage were sitting in the kitchen having breakfast. They had stayed up until two in the morning, just talking. Sydney had told him everything that had happened in the cabin when she was kidnapped. Johnny had threatened to do terrible things if she did not tell him everything he wanted to know, but she had kept her hopes up that they would find a way to save her, and they did.

When she was finished telling him about her days locked up, he told her how he found her.

"You mean you kidnapped Veronica? Johnny's wife? Do you know how much she means to him in a sick kind of way. He thinks he owns her." Sydney said a little too loud. She had wondered how he found out where she was, but not expected this.

"Yeah, I did. But only to find you, I mean the circumstances were a little special I guess." He paused and refused to meet her stare. "I would never have hurt her in any way. We were running out of time and had no idea how to find you. I had to act quickly somehow and I did."

"What did Walker say?"

"He hasn't said anything yet. It doesn't matter any way. What matters is that I have you back and that you and Becky are safe."

Sydney sipped her coffee and just sat there enjoying his company. He had done it to help her and her daughter out of the nightmare they had recently been in. "Thank you." She said and gently kissed him on the cheek. But it wasn't just gratitude. "I love you." She whispered. "Just wanted to say that."

He smiled at her. "I love you too."

Last night they had cleared out everything between them. They both admitted that they had loved each other for a long time now. Sydney had also told him that she wanted a future with her daughter, but there was plenty of room for him in her life as well.

"Syd, I was thinking, are you going to keep going as a Texas Ranger? I mean since you're also going to raise Becky. It's a dangerous job and you do spend a lot of time at work, we both do."

"I know and I've given thought to quitting as a Ranger. But then I thought about who I really am. I can't work in a bank or at a desk all day, it's not me." She rose and started cleaning the table, putting everything back in place, except a cup and plate for the girl.

"Maybe we could divide the time in some way. When you work I'm with her and the other way around."

Gage nodded. "I agree with you. And about work, I don't think either one of us could give it up and still be happy."

It's amazing how well we understand each other these days.´ She thought. "I thought I would take her to see Sylvia later this afternoon. That might get my mind off you guys taking down Leonard Anderson. Are you coming with us or..."

"If you don't mind I think I'll join Walker and Trivette in stead, I want to be there to finish this. And that will give you some time alone with Becky, if I were you I'd use it to tell her the truth about..." he lowered his voice. " You know what."

"Yeah, maybe I'll do that."

"Do what?" asked a tiny voice from behind them. They turned and saw the girl standing in the doorway, looking very sleepy. She had just woken up. Gage had spent the night on the couch and Sydney in the double bed with Becky.

"You and I are going to go visit my sister later today, if you want to." She explained.

"Sure, what's her name?"

"Sylvia. You want some breakfast? Bacon and eggs and some hot chocolate?"

"Yes, please." She turned to Gage at the table. "Are you coming with us, Gage?"

"No, honey. I have to work. But you're going to have a great time with Sydney."

Becky nodded and sat down at the table. Sydney served her some breakfast, the girl waited patiently for her to say it was ok to start eating. Sydney studied her. Her daughter was obviously very polite. But she got a feeling she wasn't waiting because she wanted to be polite, but because she felt she had to or something bad would happen to her. It was all in her eyes, Becky knew she didn't have anything to be afraid of here but perhaps breakfast time made her remember some painful moments she had been through.

Sydney patted her on the head and gently touched her cheek. Becky looked up into her kind eyes and a smile spread across her face. Then she picked up her fork and started eating.

"That's my girl." She whispered loud enough for Becky to hear it and it made her feel better.

"Gage, come here a moment, please." He got up and they entered the living-room. "I'm going to call Sylvia, I haven't spoken to her since the hospital. Now that Johnny has been arrested she's moved back to her own place, we'll go over to her later."

"Ok, I'm just going to take a quick shower and then go meet Walker and Trivette at headquarters."

Ranger headquarters:

13:32

Gage entered the office and saw Walker and Trivette sitting at their desks. "Hi guys!"

"Gage, we thought you were spending the day with Sydney." Said Trivette.

"No, she needs some time alone with her daughter and I wanted to be there when we catch this Leonard Anderson. There is one person I've been thinking about. One person we haven't been focusing on much. That doctor who took the baby and then disappeared."

Walker looked up from the papers he was reading. "Actually, I've been searching for something about him, but found nothing I'm afraid. I doubt he is a doctor. I guess we could ask Johnny Lawrence but he's not likely to tell us anything unless we cut him a deal, but I don't think the doctor is worth as much as him."

The others agreed. "So, when do we leave?"

"Well, we certainly can't be late so let's leave right away, in case they're early." Walker said and rose.

A cafe in town:

Sylvia was seated at a table for three, waiting for her older sister and niece. She was really looking forward to seeing Rebecca for the first time ever. She felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from her heart. The child was safe now, with her mother who had been rescued by the Texas Rangers. She was so glad she went to them. Her sister had been right when she said they were to be trusted.

She had spoken to Sydney and they had decided to meet here at the cafe. They were five minutes late, but she didn't mind. A little while later Sydney and Becky entered, hand in hand. Sylvia waved at them and they crossed the room.

Sydney gave her sister a big hug which she returned. "Hi." Sydney said and gently pushed the girl in front of her. "This is Becky. Becky this is my sister Sylvia."

"Hello Becky!" she shook hands with the small girl.

"Hi!" the child said a little shy. This woman really looked a lot like Sydney, she thought. She seemed nice too. Not all grownups bothered to say hello to kids her age.

"So, do you want to stay here and have some coffee and cookies or go shopping right away?" Sylvia asked. "It's been a long time since you and I went shopping together, Syd."

Sydney felt a little guilty about that, she knew it was mostly her fault. She had been so busy with work that she had neglected her family. "A year at least. Maybe we can make up for some of that lost time now." She turned to Becky who was standing quiet beside her. "What do you think, sweetie? Wanna go shopping first or...?

"Yeah, that'll be fine." She answered with a smile and they left.

It was a rainy day, so Sylvia took out her umbrella for the three of them to walk under. Their first stop was at a toy store. Sydney had planned to stop there but hadn't told her daughter that.

"We're going in here?" Becky asked surprised.

Sydney nodded. "Sure, go on inside and pick something you want. I'll be right in, just have to talk to Sylvia for a while, ok?"

The child gave her a huge hug. "Thank you, Sydney!" she said happily and then ran inside. The door shut behind her and Sydney turned to her sister.

"She's so beautiful, Syd. She really is." They stood in silence for a while. "So, tell me everything now. How are you?"

"Oh, we get along fine." She answered.

Sylvia sighed. "That's not what I mean, and you know it." She scolded. "I mean how are YOU doing... emotionally."

Sydney delayed her answer. She hadn't had time to think about that. "I am fine. Johnny has been arrested and in about an hour the drug operation will be shut down and Leonard Anderson will be apprehended. It's all working out."

Her little sister was very pleased to hear that. But there was something bothering Sydney and she was pretty sure she knew what it was. "You're worried about how she'll react when you tell her?" Sydney nodded.

"I have to tell her, and I will. Later today I will tell her."

To be continued


	20. Ready to talk

Title: A stranger's opinion

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing them for the story.

Gage, Walker and Trivette were in Walker's truck, waiting patiently for Leonard Anderson to arrive with the stuff he was going to sell to Johnny Lawrence, or at least that's what he thought.

"Here he comes." Walker said in a calm voice. One man who looked to be in charge was walking up to the mansion with three others following behind. Trivette opened the car-door "Not yet" Walker said "We'll let them wait a few minutes before we go in."

Trivette nodded and Gage leaned back and took a sip from his coke. He couldn't get Sydney and Becky out of his head. He hoped Syd was telling her the truth now, about everything including where Johnny and his wife were right now.

"Alright, it's time." Walker announced and stepped out of the truck. Trivette made sure his weapon worked and followed.

The three Rangers crossed the lawn and jumped over a small shrubbery to get to the kitchen door. Gage turned the knob and opened the door for Walker and Trivette who entered without a sound.

The four men were in the hall, waiting for Johnny. Walker entered the room first, walked slowly across the floor and approached Leonard Anderson.

The look on the man's face was priceless. He had obviously met Johnny before and knew this was not him, just like they had counted on.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked upset and glared with cold, threatening eyes at Walker. Walker locked eyes with him and stopped in front of him.

"My name is Walker." He signalled for Trivette and Gage to appear. "Who are you?"

"Leo Anderson."

"Well, Leo. You see, I'm a Texas Ranger. And you're under arrest." Walker watched the man's eyes grow wild and big as saucers as he spoke. He took a step back and yelled at his men.

"Get them!!" Then he tried to punch Walker in the face, but he ducked and came up behind him, surprising him and twisted his arm behind his back.

Gage and Trivette joined Walker in the fight. Two guys attacked Gage but he avoided the first one and caused him to run into a drawer. He kicked the other one in the head, knocking him out. None of the men seemed to be trained in the martial arts, more like they thought they were. That was a good thing, he didn't really feel like getting into a real fight today any way, didn't want to scare Becky with a bruised face and a bleeding lip when he came home later.

Sydney would probably just shake her head and say something like "Can't leave you alone for a single day".

The toy store:

Sydney and Sylvia found Becky looking at a doll which had been placed on the top shelf. She saw Sydney was coming and pointed up at the doll. "I want that one, please."

"Wow, you decided fast. We weren't gone long." Sylvia commented and smiled at the enthusiasm in the girl's face as the jumped up and down and pointed at the doll which was too high up for her to reach.

"Can I have her, Sydney? Please."

"Of course you can, honey. I told you to pick something out and I don't go back on my word."

"Thank you. Her name is Sydney." She said with pride. Tears filled the Ranger's eyes when she heard those words coming from this little girl's mouth. Sylvia noticed her sister was fighting back tears and caught the girl's eye.

"Sydney, that's a pretty name. What made you think of it?" she joked.

"She told me that's her name." She said.

"Oh, I see. So it's got nothing to do with my sister's name?" she laughed.

Becky shook her head "It must be a coincidence." She said in a very adult tone.

Sydney dried her tears and looked up again.

"So, let's get it down from there and pay for it, then we can leave." She said and reached for the doll.

They spent the rest of the day going from shop to shop until they were all so tired that they collapsed on a park bench with an ice-cream and two cups of coffee.

"So what do you say? Do you want to come over to my place and have dinner tonight?" Sylvia asked her sister and niece.

Sydney looked at Becky who nodded eagerly. "We'd love to but I promised Gage he could spend the evening at my apartment. He doesn't seem to mind sleeping on the couch."

"Invite him, it's fine with me. Last time we talked it was during some very sad circumstances if you know what I mean and I want to get to know him a little better." She took her sister's hand and looked into her beautiful eyes. Sydney looked back into a pair of eyes that reminded of her own. "It'll be fun. I'll cook then you won't have to, how does that sound?"

Sydney laughed. She knew she couldn't hide anything from Sylvia, they knew each other too well. Her sister knew she could cook but also that it wasn't her most favourite thing in the world to do. But she would change that now that she had her daughter. She would learn to cook more kind of food that kids liked, she wasn't sure what that was but she would look it up some where.

"Alright, you've convinced me. I'll ask him." She glanced at the child sitting beside her, quietly eating her ice-cream. She didn't seem very interested in their conversation right now. She lowered her voice a bit just in case and turned to her sister. "There is something else I have to tell you."

Sylvia raised a brow. "What? Is it about Gage?"

"Yeah. We've sort of become more than friends lately..." she never got to finish what she was about to say because Becky jumped up in her lap and threw her arms around Sydney's neck with delight.

"I knew it! You are marrying Ranger Gage!!" she screamed so loud that an old man who walked by stopped and gave them a stern look.

"I think we're moving a little too fast here now, sweetie. We're not getting married." She assured her daughter. A pout quickly appeared and made the Ranger's heart melt. "Hey, I didn't say there wasn't something between us, but we're not talking marriage." She said and caressed the girl's cheek. A smile immediately replaced the pout.

"Oh, Sydney that's great news. The way you've talked about him the last year, it doesn't exactly come as a surprise."

Sydney rolled her eyes. Sylvia always knew what she was thinking, some times even before she had thought it. She had never told her sister how she felt about Gage, only that he was a great partner, and maybe added a "few" good details now and then.

Sydney let go of Becky and hugged Sylvia. Things were finally looking up, her life was perfect right now and she wanted it to stay that way.

A man in a white cowboy hat walked by them and reminded her of the situation at Johnny's house. All the shopping they had done today had managed to keep her mind off it. She had wanted to be there with the rest of them but spending time with Becky was more important now. She reached inside her pocket and took out her cell-phone.

"Who are you calling?" Sylvia asked.

"Gage. I want to know how things are going over there."

"Are you sure you should do that? What if they're in the middle of something, maybe hiding and his phone starts ringing. Won't that ruin things?"

Sydney grinned at her sister's caution. "Gage has been a Ranger long enough to know that you turn your phone off if there is any risk of that. If I get through then they're probably still in the car or finished." She glanced at her watch. "And they should be done by now."

Gage answered his phone.

"Hi, it's me, Sydney."

"Oh hi. How's your day been?"

"Great, we've done lots of shopping and right now we're having coffee and ice-cream in the park. How about you? Everything go the way we hoped?"

"Yeah, we got him. These drugs aren't getting out on the streets." He said and let out some air through his mouth. It was a relief knowing that was over. "So did you tell her?"

"No not yet, I'll do it tonight." She could hear him sigh at the other end. "Look, I'll do it but right now there is something else I want to talk to you about."

"And what's that?"

"Sylvia has invited us over for dinner at her place tonight. What do you think about it? Wanna go?"

"Sure I do, if you'll be there then of course I will too." He said. Hearing him say that made her shiver and smile.

"Good..." she received a tap on her shoulder and turned to her sister again. "Yeah?"

"I was thinking...lets invite the other Rangers too. And the Ranger Walker's wife too, what's her name...Alex. I'd like to thank them for all their help."

"That's a great idea. I'll tell Gage to ask Walker and Trivette right away."

Becky tugged on her sleeve. "Are we going to a party, Sydney?" she asked, excited.

"Well, sort of, we're having dinner at Sylvia's later, if you want to?"

Becky delayed her answer a moment and studied her fingernails. "Sydney..." she started.

"Yes" she answered and tousled the girl's hair. Becky looked so thoughtful and worried that she completely forgot about the phone she was holding in her hand.

"I want to go with you but what about my mom and dad? When am I going to see them again? I can't be late home you know, they'll awful mad at me then." She said with a frown. It seemed like just talking about her parents scared her because she reached for Sydney's hand and held it tight. "Not that I want to go back, but I have to, don't I?"

Sydney took a deep breath. "No, honey. You don't have to go back. There is something I need to talk to you about." She handed the phone to Sylvia and told her to please finish the conversation and then go home. They would meet her there later in the evening.

Sydney led her child over to a more private part of the park and then sat the child down on the edge of a huge statue for the talk she had been avoiding for so long.

To be continued


	21. The truth

Title: A stranger's opinion

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger", I'm just borrowing them for the story.

Okay, I'm ready, I am.´ she thought, desperately trying to calm herself. Becky held her hand and it felt good knowing she was aware of how nervous she was. No, wait, I can't.´

"So what did you want to talk bout, Sydney?" she asked curiously, wanting to know what was up that made her friend so quiet and act so strangely.

"Uhm...your mother and father. Where they are right now and why and what's going to happen to you." She said in a shaky voice. She was worried her daughter would hate her for keeping the truth from her this long. She wished she had come clean sooner now.

"Where are they? Not that I care that much any way..."

"Sydney!!"

The child and the Ranger turned, both mad at the interruption. Sylvia was running towards them, crossing the lawn with a hand waving in the air. She was holding the phone in it. She stopped and Sydney rose "Becky I'll be right back."

The child sighed and nodded. Sydney hurried over to her sister and they walked out of earshot from the girl sitting, waiting patiently.

"Sydney, I'm so sorry to interrupt now but I finished the conversation with Gage and he said you'd better get over to the mansion now. Someone called him and told him she wanted to meet you there. An old lady. It sounded important."

"An old lady?" Then she understood. "Oh, of course. It's Edna."

"Edna? Edna who?" asked Sylvia surprised Gage would deliberately ask Sydney to come to him now and interrupt the moment she'd chosen to tell Becky because an old lady wanted to see her.

"Edna Todd. The old lady who's been put into the witness protection program, the one who saw Johnny and Veronica hit Becky and put up the cameras." She explained.

"Oh right. So did you tell her?"

"No, didn't get a chance to tell her" she said with a bit of irritation in her voice. "I still wonder how she's going to react when she finds out her parents are in jail and I'm her mom." She said it as a joke but at that moment had no idea what it was about to cause. Suddenly she got a feeling she was being watched, and not by Sylvia who was standing right in front of her with an empty expression on her face. She was staring right passed her at something behind her. Suddenly Sydney knew what it was that had caught her sister's attention. She started to turn around but was afraid she would be right, she hoped, prayed she was wrong. But she wasn't, there stood Becky with tears in her beautiful brown eyes. Her new doll fell out of her arms and she turned and ran away.

"No!! Sydney yelled when she saw where the girl was headed, the street, and there were cars there. She ran after her as fast as she could. This was not the way she had planned it.

She saw Becky cross the street and two cars had to stop in the last second to avoid hitting her.

Sydney's heart was pounding in her chest and she felt like she was going to throw up any second. She kept running and was catching up now, crossed the street in the same place as her daughter, but didn't hear the drivers' angry complaints being shouted at her. All she saw was the small figure running down the street, never looking back to see if she or anyone else was following. She entered a boutique on the corner.

Sydney ran down the street and followed her inside.

"Can I help you, miss?" asked a woman in her twenties who was standing behind the cash register.

"No, I'm just looking for a little girl who came in here a few seconds ago."

"Yes, a small child just entered and ran over there." She pointed to the changing rooms. "I thought her mother might be in there so..."

"No, I'm her mother." She said as she headed for the changing rooms. She slid the doors open to check if Becky was there. There were four changing rooms, she checked three of them and then stepped up outside the fourth and last one. She knocked on the door. No answer.

"Becky? I know you're in there? Are you trying something on or... or are you just avoiding me?" she heard muffled sobs from inside. "I'm so sorry you had to hear it like that, I was just about to tell you. This was not the way it was supposed to be."

"Well, it happened." The girl said in an angry tone. "I don't understand anything, Sydney." She cried.

"Honey, if you just let me come in I'll explain it to you, okay?" She waited for an answer but when she didn't get one she slid the door open and spotted the child sitting on a wooden chair, hugging her knees and tears running down her cheeks. The red eyed little girl looked up when she heard Sydney come in, then she lowered her head again and started rocking back and fourth in her seat, perhaps trying to comfort herself a little.

Sydney wanted so much to just hug the girl and comfort her herself but she wasn't sure if Becky would let her. Though she didn't see any hate in her eyes, only disappointment and grief, maybe a little fear too.

"Hi." She said and sat down on the floor next to the chair Becky was sitting on.

"Hi." She spoke through her tears. "I wish this was one of them." She said. Sydney looked at her, surprised.

"One of what?" she asked, confused.

"One of the nightmares about...about him." She cried. "About my dad...he ...he hit me." She said it for the first time. Sydney knew she had known they knew about the abuse, but she had never talked about it like this. "And mommy too...some times. I don't know why." She met Sydney's gaze. "Or was it really my mommy?" she asked and blinked away a few fresh tears.

"No, that was not your real mommy, Becky. I am." She took the child's hand and then carefully touched her face. "Look, we have the same kind of hands."

Becky had noticed that and that their eyes were almost identical too. She nodded and buried her face in Sydney's soft hair and cried even more. "I don't understand, I don't understand..."

"Hush...you will, you will. I promise." She allowed the child to cry as much as she needed. And did so herself too while she talked to her daughter about everything that had been going on the last couple of years in her life. She told her about Johnny, Veronica, the doctor and where her so called parents were now.

"So, they kidnapped you?" the child asked, with eyes big as saucers.

Sydney nodded. "Yeah, they did and that's why I was in the hospital for two days. I was sort of recovering from that. But everything is fine now." she assured the girl. "And they are never going to hurt either one of us again, okay?"

"Then Sylvia is my aunt? And your mom and dad are my grandmother and grandfather?" she asked and sounded as if she couldn't believe it. "You are my mom...my real mother." She stated.

"Yeah, I know it might come as a chock to you and I'm sorry I'm not more of a dream mom..."

"Chock?! That's so wrong. You are the best mom I could ever ask for. You're a Texas Ranger, kind and beautiful and..."

"Wait! You mean you don't mind that I'm your real mother" she exclaimed. Becky shook her head. Sydney wrapped her arms around the girl and hugged her once again. It was such a relief to hear her say those words.

"Of course not! I've always felt as if I didn't belong with my parents and I've never felt like I really love them. But I'm not sure they should be in prison, should they?" she asked.

Sydney wasn't sure what to tell her. Of course they should be in prison, not only because of what they'd done to her daughter but for what they had done to her and her family and all the drugs they had been involved with. She wanted her daughter to know the entire truth now, and that meant she would have to tell her about everything they had done. And she did.

The Lawrence' mansion:

Trivette forced Anderson into the car and slammed the door. That was the last of them, now they were all ready to be taken to Ranger Headquarters.

Gage was coming toward him with his cell-phone, looking confused.

"Who were you calling?"

"Syd."

"And what did she say?"

"Nothing, I never talked to her. I talked to Sylvia. Syd was just about to tell Becky about her being her real mother and everything and I interrupted that." He said and felt guilty about it.

"Why did you do that then?" asked Trivette.

"An old lady called me, an old lady who's voice I recognized. She asked me to tell Syd to meet her here. It sounded very important." He scratched his forehead. "God, where have I heard that voice before?" he asked himself.

"I don't know, maybe it was... I have no idea who it could have been."

"Sylvia went to get Sydney and then I heard her scream and Sylvia got back on the phone and told me Syd and Becky would meet me at her place at 8 to night. Then she just hung up"

To be continued


	22. Dinner with good friends

**_Title: A stranger's opinion_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger"._**

Sydney entered her apartment with an enormous sense of relief in her heart. Becky entered too, took her shoes and jacket off and put them away. She looked at the apartment again and viewed it in a whole different way now than she had before. This was her mother's home, her mom's and maybe Gage's too soon. At least it sounded that way, and that would definitely be fine with her. She loved Gage.

"Mommy?"

Sydney froze. That was the first time her daughter had ever used that title, it felt so wonderful. "Yes, honey."

"What should I wear? At Sylvia's tonight I mean."

"Well, we bought you so many clothes so there has to be something in one of these bags. You want me to help you choose or do you want to do it yourself?" she asked and put a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I want you to help me look." She said and pulled her mother over to the bags on the coffee-table.

They rummaged through all the bags, looking at things they had almost forgotten they'd bought earlier that day.

When they were done sitting on the floor in the changing room talking they had gone to a café and bought some more coffee and ice-cream and talked some more.

Sydney had told her everything about when she was born and what happened after that. Becky had cried now and then through the story but when Sydney had asked her if she should stop she just shook her head and told her to please go on.

They decided to go home and change and then meet Gage and the others at Sylvia's later for dinner.

"I like this one, what do you think?" Sydney asked as she held up a white dress with little yellow butterflies on.

"I love that one." She grabbed the dress and ran inside the bedroom to change into it. Sydney unpacked a pair of shoes that she had bought for herself and then a pair for Becky that matched her new dress. She had bought a lot of new clothes for the girl since the Rangers hadn't had time to pack down all her old ones when they took her with them.

Sydney decided on a pair of jeans and a black sweater. "Becky! Hurry up, we're supposed to at Sylvia's place in half an hour!"

"I'm done now."she said as she re-entered the living room dressed in the clothes she had picked out. "What do you think?" she asked and walked back and forth and twirling before Sydney like a model.

"You look real nice. We have to get going now or we'll be late."

**_Sylvia's apartment:_**

Gage and Trivette were seated in the living-room at the table discussing if Trivette had cheated in a game of cards they had just finished playing with Walker and Alex. They had all been a little early so they decided to sit down and play instead of being a distraction to Sylvia in the kitchen. Alex asked if she could help out but she'd told her she didn't need it because everything was almost ready.

A knock on the door made her call the others to open it and let Sydney and Becky in. They were the only ones who hadn't arrived yet.

Her apartment was not big since she lived there alone. She didn't need or want anything bigger now, but one day when she met someone special and decided to start a family, they would get something bigger. But she always wanted to stay close to her family, and now that her sister had her daughter back she wanted to spend as much time as possible getting to know her niece too.

Alex opened the door and saw Sydney and Becky standing there. Strange. There is something different about them now. She must have told her.´ she thought to herself.

"Hi, Sydney." Alex said and gave the Ranger a quick hug and then Becky. "Becky, how are you doing today?"

The child smiled at the district attorney. "Great, thanks. We're the last ones here, aren't we?" she asked.

Alex nodded and they entered the apartment and took off their shoes and jackets and put them in the closet.

Sydney sniffed in the air. "Mmm something smells good, I take it my sister is cooking something, smells like chicken."

"Yes, but she refused to let me help her in the kitchen so you'd better come and join us in the living-room until she's done."

Sydney laughed, sounded just like Sylvia. She turned to Becky. "You go with Alex and say hi to everyone and I'll be right there."

Alex took Becky's hand and they joined the three Rangers in the living-room.

Sydney pushed the door open and entered the kitchen. She found her sister by the stove making dinner. A lot had changed since this afternoon and she wanted to share it with her right now.

Sylvia turned when she heard the door close and when she saw Sydney she wiped her hands on her apron and then hurried across the room and gave Sydney a big hug. "How did she take it?" she asked and studied Syd's face. It didn't seem sad at all, in fact her eyes were sparkling like stars.

"Not at all as I expected. She was chocked at first when she overheard us but then she was thrilled when I explained things a little more." Sydney explained to her sister.

"So, you did tell her everything then? About Johnny and Veronica and where they are now I mean."

"Yeah I did. I told her the whole story actually, about when and where she was born and taken away. At first it seemed like she just couldn't believe it and I certainly don't blame her or anything. Imagine having your whole life change just like that in an hour. Finding out that everything you thought was real...isn't."

Sylvia nodded. At least the girl's so called parents weren't exactly people she loved with all her heart. They hadn't treated her well over the years, which was of course terrible but at least she probably wouldn't be devastated over not seeing them when they were in prison and she was living with Sydney.

"But I think she has accepted the situation now, she understands why they're going to prison."

Sydney finished. She hadn't felt this free and happy in years. Now she would go and tell the others before dinner so that everything was out in the open.

" I should know better than to ask but do you need any help in here?"she asked as she glanced at the mess her sister had made in the kitchen. But she was used to it, that was the way the kitchen always looked when Sylvia was cooking something, what she made was delicious but she always made a mess while fixing it.

Her little sister gave her a look that said Yes you should. Go away before I throw you out of my kitchen.´

With that said Sydney retreated to the living-room. When she entered she was met by five pairs of eyes staring at her. Gage got up and ran over to her and kissed her.

"I'm so glad you told her." He said, confusing her. How could he know that? She hadn't even told him yet. Then she looked at her small daughter seated at the table and she saw the smile spread across her face and she understood who had told them. At least now she wouldn't have to go over it again.

"That makes two of us." She whispered and kissed him back.

"I see you two have figured out what the rest of us have known for some time now." Walker said with a warm smile as he watched the two younger Rangers that he knew so well kiss.

"Come and sit down here with the rest of us and play this boring game." He suggested. Gage and Sydney took place at the table next to each other. Becky whispered in her mother's ear: "Sorry mommy, I just couldn't wait any longer. I had to tell someone. Are you mad?" she asked with concern.

Sydney put an arm around her little girl's shoulders. "No, no I'm not mad, sweetie. You have a right to tell who ever you want, it's your life too."

Sylvia entered with plates and cutlery and started to set the table. Alex got up and practically ripped the forks and knives out of her hands. "Now you let me do this and just sit down here and relax. "Trivette, would you go to the kitchen and get the food, please."

Trivette turned to Becky and said: "Could you keep an eye on Gage for me? I don't want him cheating while I'm gone."

Becky giggled and agreed. They spent the rest of the evening eating the wonderful meal Sylvia had made and talking. Walker, Gage and Trivette got an opportunity to tell Sydney and Alex about Leonard Anderson's arrest. They waited with that story until Becky was asleep on Sylvia's bed with her new doll right beside her. Didn't think it was necessary for her to know every violent detail just because her mother and her friends worked with crimes all day long.

This was the first time they all sat down together and talked about everything that had happened the last few days. They talked about Casa Diablo and Sydney told them about the situation in the cabin. She also told them in her own words about when she first met Johnny and gave birth to Becky.

Sydney and Gage were the first ones to leave, carrying a sleeping Becky. They thanked Sylvia for everything and were on their way back to Sydney's apartment.

Sydney put Becky down on the bed in her room and sat down at the edge of the bed next to Gage.

"Sydney?"

"Yes."

"Where do you want me to sleep tonight? I mean, " he glanced at the child sound asleep in the bed. "It's pretty crowded here and..." he stopped talking and blushed as he realized she was looking at him and grinning. "Never mind, I'll take the couch and you stay in here with her." He got up but was stopped by a hand that pulled him down again and then lips pressed against his own.

"Or... we could move her to the couch for a while."

_**To be continued soon**_


	23. Edna Todd

_**Title: A stranger's opinion**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger".**_

Sydney and Gage were both lying awake in Sydney's bed, looking at the sealing just thinking about how lucky they both were to have found one another.

Sydney turned her head and looked him in the eyes. "I love you...a lot. I just want you to know that."

Gage rolled over towards her and kissed her on the cheek. "I know." He joked and received a pillow in his face for an answer. He grabbed his own pillow and threw it at her. The pillow fight lasted a few minutes until they were both too exhausted too continue.

They had both leaned back in bed again when they heard a little voice calling "mommy" from the living-room. Sydney got up and hurried to the door.

"Just run you coward!" Gage called to her as she exited the bedroom. In the door-way she spun around and gave him a warning glare.

"Mommy? What am I doing out here on the couch?" Becky asked and rubbed her eyes. She was sitting up on the couch with a warm blanket wrapped around her, looking very confused when Sydney entered.

"Good morning, honey. We moved you last night so that...so that Gage wouldn't have to sleep on the couch another night. We didn't think you'd mind since you were already asleep." She said. She felt a little bad about not telling her daughter the entire truth but she didn't think Becky was old enough to have the talk just yet. Not at eight years old.

"Oh, is his back hurting from sleeping here two nights in a row now?" Becky asked as she threw her blanket aside and got up.

"Well, no not yet. But it might have been if he had stayed here, so I'm sure he's very grateful to you for helping him out." Sydney assured her.

"You think?" Sydney nodded. "Good because I owe him big." The little girl said and ran into the kitchen with Sydney following right behind her. "I'm really hungry, can I have some breakfast?"

Sydney took out some bread and cheese and milk. "Sure, is this okay with you?"

"Yes it's fine, thank you. Is Gage having breakfast with us?"

"I'm right here. Syd, I'll have some bacon and eggs, please." Gage said and sat down at the table. Sydney placed her hands on her hips and towered over him.

"And where do you suppose I'd get them? Out of thin air?"

"You're a good cook; you can make some just like that." He snapped his fingers. When he saw the expression on her face that said she wasn't finding it amusing at all he immediately told her he wasn't serious. "I'm kidding Syd. You know what? You sit down here and I'll make breakfast, French toast."

Sydney raised her eyebrows but also smiled. "French toast for breakfast? Sure why not?" She sat down at the table and Gage moved over to the stove. She thought he looked kind of cute wearing that old dressing gown of hers and a pair of slippers. But then again she didn't exactly look her best at this time in the morning either.

"Becky, you're up early." Gage commented to the girl. "When I was your age my parents had big trouble getting me out of bed in the morning. I didn't really love going to school either but Julie, that's my sister by the way, she used to"...

"You have a sister?" Becky exclaimed with her mouth full of bread.

"Becky! Chew first, please." Sydney said and the girl blushed.

"Sorry mom. But if you have a sister then I sort of have another aunt."

Sydney and Gage exchanged glances. They understood what was going on here now. Becky wanted to look at Gage like a father in the future, not just like a friend.

"I mean that is if you two are together now. Are you?" she asked with big innocent eyes staring at the two people she loved the most now.

Sydney wasn't sure what to say. They were together in a way. They had spent the night together and they were living together for the moment but that was just temporarily. They had talked about moving in together with Becky some where else, a place that had room for the three of them.

Gage nodded at her. She thought that meant he wanted her to tell Becky they were together as a couple, at least that was what they had discussed and come up with last night.

"Yes, we are." She answered.

"Becky, if you want to think of my sister as your aunt and me as your...uhm"

"Father." Becky finished the sentence for him.

"Yes, as your father, thank you. Then that's totally fine with me." He watched her eyes start shining and a smile appear. He loved that smile of hers, just like her mother's actually. It felt so good to spend time like this, in the kitchen early in the morning. Like the family he had never had. Except when he was very little before his parents died of course, after that it had just been him and Julie in different foster homes with idiots, hurting them. For the first time ever, he felt at home.

"What are we doing today?" Becky asked.

"What do you want to do? You choose." Sydney said.

Becky thought it over a little while and then told them what she wanted. "I want to go to the Big Ranger House and see where you work."

"But honey you've already been there." Gage said. "Remember, when we left your house with you, we took you to Ranger Headquarters."

"Yes but all I got to do was sit at your desk and draw pictures, this time I want to see everything."

Two hours later, outside Sydney's apartment:

Gage, Sydney and Becky walked down the stairs in the building and out on the street to Gage's car. After finishing all the French Toast Gage had made and gotten dressed they were all ready to go to the office. Gage opened the door for Sydney and Becky who insisted on sitting in her mother's lap and then walked around the car and got inside himself.

"Syd, that lady who called yesterday bothers me. We still don't know what she wanted. I stayed outside Johnny's house and waited for her but she never showed."

"No, I know what she wanted. She called before we left for Sylvia's last night and I talked to her."

"Why didn't you tell me that? Who is she? I recognized her voice when I spoke to her."

"Sorry it slipped my mind. Her name is Edna Todd, you know the old lady who will be testifying about the abuse and drug smuggling. She wanted to know how Becky was doing with the changes and everything that's going on now. I said we'd meet some day for coffee."

"Okay, maybe I've met her some where before and that's why I recognized her voice." He started the car and drove off. Fifteen minutes later they pulled up in front of headquarters.

Sydney got out first and saw her. Edna Todd approaching them.

"Edna! What are you doing here?" she gave the old lady a hug and turned to Gage. "Gage, this is Edna."

The old lady nodded at Gage. She was wearing a long white skirt and had long grey hair and she walked with a cane.

"Good morning Ranger Cooke, Ranger Gage and Rebecca." She said politely. Gage stared at her and suddenly he knew who she was. He had heard her voice before and he had met her before. At the hospital after the helicopter ride home from Casa Diablo. The old lady in the waiting room, and the voice in the dark telling him Sydney needed help right before she was kidnapped. The voice he had been hearing lately belonged to her.

"Syd, this is the lady from the hospital; we both said hello to her there, why didn't you tell me you knew her. You didn't act like you did." He said and reached out his hand towards Edna as if he had to make sure she was real.

"Well, you didn't know anything about Becky then or much about my past so I had to act as if I didn't know who she was. Sorry I had totally forgotten about that, otherwise I would have told you."

Gage looked at the lady who had been standing there silent. He remembered how she had known his first name and acted so strange and how he never had a chance to find out how she knew so much about him. The entire situation was kind of spooky.

"Hello, young man. Very nice to see you again." She shook his hand and locked eyes with him. "I think we need to have a little conversation in private since I believe you have some questions you'd like to ask me."

Gage nodded. "Go on inside without me you two, I'll be right there." He said to a very surprised Sydney. What could they have to talk about after meeting once for a few minutes? She took her little girl's hand and turned to Edna before entering the building.

"Very nice to see you again, Edna. I'll talk to you soon."

"You too, dear. And you Rebecca." The old lady said and kissed the girl on top of her head.

Sydney and Becky left the two of them alone. Gage wasn't sure where to start, so much had happened and he needed answers.

"So your name is Edna, ma'am?" he said trying to start the conversation.

"Yes, Ranger Gage, it is. So how are things between you and little Sydney?"

"You should know, you were the one who told me to go ahead and tell her I loved her the second time we were in the hospital with her. You see, I just figured out you are the voice that's been talking to me. I don't know how you did it, and I'd like you to tell me."

She was quiet, just looking at him at first and he found it annoying. Then she spoke: "Yes, I guess you can say I have been speaking to you. My story is that I came to work in the Lawrence's house years ago and then I quit only to come back later and start working there again when Sydney contacted me. She knew I had worked there before and earned their trust, I was the perfect person to ask to go back there and spy on them and collect evidence about child abuse and drug smuggling. I did it and I have now turned it all over to the police and given my testimony."

Gage frowned. "That doesn't exactly explain how you have been talking to me and giving me advices about my relationship with Sydney and her kidnapping. I need more than you just told me." He shook his head at the little old lady in the long skirt in front of him. "Who are you?"

"I just told you, Ranger. Edna. And I just want to tell you that you and Sydney are going to be just fine. You are two terrific people who love each other and that little girl of hers. And that is all you need to know."

Gage heard footsteps behind him; he spun around and saw Sydney coming towards him. "Gage, are you coming? You've been out here for twenty minutes now."

Twenty minutes? That couldn't be right. She had only been gone like four minutes.´

"What are you talking about, Syd? You just entered Headquarters. I'm trying to talk to Edna..."

"Yeah, by the way where is she? And why are you standing here talking to yourself?"

Gage turned to the lady again but she was gone. She wasn't standing in front of him any more.

"Where did she go? Did you see her leave?" he asked confused and quickly opened the car door and looked inside for her. But she wasn't there either, she was no where in sight.

"This is impossible. I was just talking to her and now she's gone. She said she had given all the evidence to the police and that you and I were going to be okay and then you came out and when I turn around again she's gone." He explained but when he saw the amusement on her face he crossed his arms over his chest. "I was not talking to myself, Syd."

"No, of course not."

"I really wasn't. She was here just a minute ago. Where did she go?" he even took a look beneath the car just in case.

"Listen, honey. Edna has always been a bit strange and if she left like that...we'll probably never see her again. Take it from me." She reached up and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Now, let's go inside, I think you could use an extra cup of coffee this morning."

_**To be continued**_


	24. A perfect life

**Title: A stranger's opinion**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters on "Walker Texas Ranger".**

**This chapter takes place a month after chapter 23 when Edna Todd disappeared. ****This is the last chapter of "A stranger's opinion" and I'd like to thank you for reading my story. I might write another one about Rebecca in the future and I hope you'll read it and let me know what you think.**

Sydney exited the court room with a sense of relief in her heart. After the judge had seen proof that she was Becky's mother he had been more than willing to grant Sydney custody of her daughter.

Ever since Sydney and Gage had decided to move in together two weeks ago Becky had gotten even closer to Gage and the judge considered that a good. He thought it was a good thing that Sydney wasn't going to raise her daughter by herself.

Alex, Walker, Trivette and Becky were sitting on a bench, waiting for them to come out. The adults looked up as the two Rangers approached them. Becky rushed over and gave her mother a big hug.

"How did it go?" asked Walker.

Gage and Sydney both smiled at him. "Fine, we can take her home with us again now. Everything is set and Johnny is to have nothing to do with her ever again." She looked at her young daughter. "Unless she herself wants to see him in the future, when she's older, of course."

"Congratulations Sydney, you too Gage." Trivette said and shook both friends' hands. "And to you too, Becky."

Sydney felt her daughter tugging on her sleeve to get her attention. "Can we go home now, mommy?" the little girl asked and took a bite of the ice-cream she which was slowly melting in her hand.

"Sure, sweetie. Now we can go home." She answered. Gage lifted Becky into his arms and let her ride on his shoulders the rest of the way to the car which was greatly appreciated.

**_Later that evening:_**

"What do you think of this one?" Sydney asked and pointed at a text that described a school not far from where they lived. "It's a nice school; I visited it once on a case."

Gage took a look at it and nodded. "Yeah, it seems great. But it's really not up to me, honey."

Sydney shook her head and took his hand. "Yes it is. I want you to be a part of her life...and mine. If you're gonna help me raise her then we should decide these things together."

He gave her a soft kiss on the lips and leaned back on the couch. Sydney yawned and did the same. She was exhausted after the day's events and just felt like following her daughter's example and go to sleep. It felt so good to know that her little girl was asleep in the bedroom and that she was going to be living with her for the next ten years or so, and there was nothing Johnny could do about it. She had her family back, and had no intention of losing them again.

Becky would be starting school again in three weeks, but not the same one she had gone to before. They had asked her if she wanted to go back to her old one and she had said no, said that she hadn't really made any real friends there any way. Sydney hoped that would change this time, in her new school. But Sydney and Gage both knew that they couldn't live in her apartment for ever, it was not big enough for the three of them. Becky needed a room of her own and the only way she could get that was if they moved to another apartment that was a bit bigger.

Lately Becky had had time to meet Gage's sister Julie, Sydney's parents and Sylvia again. She had gotten along with them all, like she usually did with new people and they had all loved her as well. Her new grandmother had played with her for over two hours in the park and then taken her out for ice-cream.

For the first time Becky felt like she belonged some where, and with the people she was with and their friends and family. It was only a week till Christmas and she was so excited to be spending it with her family. Gage and her mother had invited the Rangers and Alex, Julie, Sylvia and her grandparents over for Christmas Eve and she had been talking about it for the past week, wishing Christmas would come fast. Her mother kept telling her Christmas was getting closer and closer and every night she would read stories about Santa Clause and Christmas to her before bed time. According to Becky that was the best part of the day.

"Mommy! Where are you?!"

Sydney opened her eyes as she heard the girl's sleepy voice from the bedroom. She had dozed off and had a weird dream about getting married. She looked at Gage who was asleep next to her on the couch and smiled.

"Mommy!"

"I'm coming!" she got up and walked into the bedroom and found her daughter sitting up in bed.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Did you have another nightmare?"

Becky nodded and let the tears come running down her face as she sobbed. "I saw HIM, my da...Johnny." she cried. Sydney moved closer and took the girl in her arms and started rocking her back and forth, just letting her cry. "I'm scared, mommy." She sniffled.

"Of what? There is nothing to be afraid of, I promise." She helped Becky lie down under the covers again and then lay down beside her. "Tell me what you're afraid of and maybe I can help you."

The girl was quiet a while and Sydney waited patiently for her to start. "If I do tell you, promise you won't laugh." She said and wiped the tears away with her sleeve.

"Honey, of course I won't. Go on."

"He's coming for me... Johnny. I think he wants to kill me, and you and Gage too." She said in a shaky voice and reached for her mother. Sydney took the little girl in her arms and hugged her. They stayed that way for a while and Sydney said nothing. This didn't come as a surprise to her, she had actually been expecting it for quite some time considering Becky's nightmares and how little she had spoken of her father.

"I know you're scared, but you don't have to be. I promise he's not going to get a chance to hurt you or any one else. I won't let him and neither will Gage or Walker, Trivette or Alex." She assured her daughter and gently kissed her on the top of her head.

Becky looked up at her mother "But what if he escapes from prison and comes here? What if he tries to take you away from me again?" she cried.

Sydney wanted nothing more than to make the pain and fear her daughter was feeling go away but she wasn't sure what she could do except hold her and try to convince her that her fears wasn't going to become a reality. She spent the rest of the night doing just that, and when the morning came she had succeeded, Becky was fully convinced she was safe and that there was no way for her father to escape from jail, and if he ever was released they would be the firsts to know.

**_Christmas Eve:_**

Everything was ready. The Christmas tree had been decorated with all kinds of beautiful things, the living room had red curtains with little reindeers on and they had put up an extra large table in the living room so that all their guests could sit at the same table at Christmas dinner.

Becky stood in the centre of the room, and it seemed like everywhere she looked there was a little Santa clause or a beautiful white angel or something else that her mom and Gage had put up for Christmas. This was the first time things had really felt like Christmas in her home at this time of year, and she loved it.

Alex and Walker entered the room and sat down at the table. "Becky!" her mother called as she also appeared at the door. "You go ahead and sit down with the others and Sylvia and I will be right in with the food, okay?"

"Sure." She walked over to Alex. "Can I sit next to you?" she asked with pleading eyes and an innocent smile.

"Alright, but don't think that I don't know that the only reason you insist on sitting next to me is so you can steal the leftovers of my desert." She said with a smile. "But since it's Christmas you can have mine."

The girl's face lit up. "Thanks, Alex."

When everybody were seated at the table Sydney stood up and took the time that she needed to look at each person and think about how much she appreciated him or her presence. This was her first Christmas with a complete life.

"Merry Christmas."

**_The End_**


End file.
